INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Air Miles

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many air miles have been accrued by senior civil servants in his Department on official business in each of the last three years; and how they were used.

Gareth Thomas: DFID staff may not use for private benefit, air miles earned on official travel. We have arranged with certain partner airlines for staff to donate their air miles to the earth miles initiative under which air miles are exchanged for contributions by the airlines to the cost of carbon offset projects. Staff are also encouraged to use air miles for official travel.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) does not hold details of individual staff membership of frequent flyer schemes and therefore has no record of air miles accrued.

Asian Tsunami

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the recent report on his Department's response to the Indian Ocean disaster.

Gareth Thomas: DFID is drawing on some of the recommendations to help inform and guide DFID's support to and relationship with the UN agencies, Red Cross movement and non-governmental organisations that DFID funded in response to the disaster. DFID aims to strengthen its partners and their response capacities, seeking to build on some of the lessons identified in this review.
	For example: the report highlighted how UN agencies handled co-ordination in each sector. DFID has since helped to identify and second staff to act as cluster coordinators for each UN lead agency following the Pakistan earthquake. This has led to much improved sectoral co-ordination.
	DFID has also benefited from the recommendations about DFID's relationship with the UK military, placing a Civil Military advisor in Pakistan following the 2005 earthquake.

Asian Tsunami

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the  (a) role,  (b) performance and  (c) accountability of partners involved in channelling UK aid to areas of need in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has published a "Report on DFID's Response to the Indian Ocean Disaster" containing DFID's assessment of the performance of DFID-funded UN agencies, the Red Cross movement and non-governmental organisations and recommendations for actions to be taken by DFID and its partners. It is available at http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/report-dfid-response-tsunami.pdf.
	The UK NGOs grouped under the UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has also published information on http://www.dec.org.uk/index.cfm/asset_id,1674/pr,1.
	The NGOs' Tsunami Evaluation Committee report is expected to be published soon, providing more recommendations for future responses.

Asian Tsunami

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who the authors were of the recent report on his Department's response to the Indian Ocean disaster; and how much the report cost to produce.

Gareth Thomas: The report was compiled by staff from DFID's Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department (CHASE) Operations Team and a consultant. It incorporated a synthesis of field monitoring missions to Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives and UN agency headquarters by five staff and four consultants. The cost of this complete monitoring programme was £64,281.

Asian Tsunami

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent attacks by Tamil Tigers on the post-tsunami recovery process in Sri Lanka and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The increasing violence and communal tension is a major barrier to recovery in the north and east. In the southern districts, not contested by the LTTE and not directly affected by the fighting, recovery is proceeding swiftly, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2007.
	The increase in direct fighting between the Sri Lankan military, the Liberation Tigers of TamilEelam (LTTE) and militias associated with each side has been accompanied by an increase in communal tension. Development agencies and non-governmental organisations have evacuated staff for their security and protection and recovery programmes have been suspended. In addition, regular economic activities and recovery work undertaken in communities without external assistance has also been affected by military activity. Able-bodied men are being mobilised for LTTE service, and people are being displaced by fighting, or the fear of fighting.
	The situation continues to deteriorate, as evidenced by the recent suicide bombing in Colombo and the subsequent air strikes and naval shelling in the east. Without a considerable improvement in the security situation it is unlikely that much recovery can be undertaken. The international community, including the United Kingdom, is working hard to encourage the Government and the LTTE to curtail violence and to return to the negotiating table. Once the security environment improves we will renew efforts to help ensure delivery of development assistance to communities.

Family Planning

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Buckingham of 9 May 2006,  Official Report, column 129W, on family planning, why his Department is opposed to the United States Administration's Mexico City Policy; whom he consulted while developing his policy; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The UK Government's approach to promoting reproductive health is set out in the DFID position paper, "Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights". Our approach to achieving the fifth Millennium Development Goal of improving maternal health is outlined in the DFID strategy paper, "Reducing Maternal Deaths: Evidence and Action". Both were published in 2004 after extensive consultation with a broad range of stakeholders, including the research community, NGOs, parliamentarians and civil society groups. A web-based consultation was also held as part of this process.
	Our understanding of the so-called "Mexico City Policy" is that it requires non-US NGOs to agree that they will not perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in order to receive US funding. This means, for example, that non-US NGOs who accept US funding are not allowed to use their own funds to provide information or counselling for abortion care, or to promote awareness of the benefits of legal reform. As the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) "Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty" report makes clear, the policy forces NGOs to choose between carrying on work to protect the health and rights of women or lose funds. No reproductive or maternal health NGOs affected by the policy work to "promote abortion as a method of family planning", and indeed this would be contrary to the global consensus reached at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). What they try to do is to provide a comprehensive range of information and services that can help save women's lives, and reduce the need for abortion. The US policy means that the work of such organisations is compromised, and that is why my Department is opposed to it.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment has been made of progress in restoring  (a) electricity,  (b) water,  (c) sanitation,  (d) health care and  (e) education services in (i) Al Basrah, (ii) Al Muthanna, (iii) Dhi Qar and (iv) Maysan provinces in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: The Government of Iraq, supported by the UK and other donors, have made significant progress with reconstruction since 2003. But there is still a long way to go. Once a relatively wealthy country with high levels of education and health care, by 2003 Iraq had suffered more than 20 years of conflict, mismanagement and chronic under-investment from a brutal regime. Continued violence, especially sabotage directed at key infrastructure, and low (but growing) levels of management capacity in Iraq's national and local government have slowed progress. The UK and international community are committed to helping the new Iraqi Government tackle these challenges.
	One challenge is the lack of data, especially at the regional and provincial level. The following information therefore covers the progress that has been made across Iraq, including regional detail only where this is available.
	Electricity generation is more equitably distributed across Iraq than before 2003. Nearly 5,000 megawatts (MW) have been added to the national grid since 2003, but Iraq's average electricity generation has not improved over that period. This is because at the same time as capacity is being added through reconstruction projects, breakdowns of the pre-existing dilapidated systems, shortages of fuel supplies and sabotage are reducing capacity. So Iraqis are not getting the full benefit of those extra megawatts. Demand for electricity also continues to rise dramatically, as the economy grows and more people own and use electrical goods such as fridges and air-conditioning units. The new Iraqi Government will be starting work on a long-term power sector strategy, with DFID's support.
	In the south, average electricity generation levels have increased from approximately 750 MW in January 2004 to over 1,000 MW in December 2005. The south now receives its fair share of national power—whereas under Saddam's regime, power was often diverted from the south to Baghdad.
	To improve power supply in the south, DFID has:
	Repaired transmission lines from Hartha power station to Basra city—securing electricity supplies for 1.5 million residents;
	Improved power distribution to 13 areas of Basra.
	By the end of 2006, we will have:
	Established point power generators to provide 15 MW of back-up supplies in Dhi Qar and Maysan;
	Added or secured a further 190 MW of electricity in the south, through our £40 million Iraq Infrastructure and Services Programme.
	Water supplies have improved across the south since the end of the conflict, and sewerage systems and water treatment plants are now operating again. Before the conflict, no major sewerage systems were operating. Immediate post-conflict work improved efficiency of water treatment plants and pumping stations. DFID has:
	provided technical advice for a major sewage installation in Al Amarah, providing up to half the city's population with access to a piped system and replacing open sewage channels;
	improved the water supply to 60,000 people in Al Amtahiyah;
	started construction of reservoirs and water towers to benefit a further 200,000 people;
	constructed a water training centre which will train water engineers from Maysan, Muthanna, Basra and Dhi Qar provinces.
	Health services are gradually being restored throughout Iraq. Hundreds of health care facilities have been rehabilitated and 240 hospitals and 1,200 primary health centres are now functioning. Through extensive disease control programmes, there has been a decline in the prevalence of leishmaniasis, malaria, measles, mumps, and polio. Japan and the US have rehabilitated a number of health care facilities in the south, as well as supplying essential equipment, ambulances and drugs. The US is constructing a new paediatric hospital in Basra, which will offer improved treatment to children with acute conditions across the south.
	5,168 schools have been rehabilitated throughout Iraq, with a further 450 in progress. By the end of 2006, more than 133,000 primary school teachers and 47,500 secondary school teachers and administrators will have received training and technical support. In southern Iraq, the UN has rehabilitated schools and supplied textbooks, and is also rehabilitating vocational training institutes. Japan has provided textbooks to all primary schools in Muthanna. There are 465 schools operating in Maysan, and 348 in Muthanna.

Leased Land

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what  (a) land and  (b) property his Department (i) leases and (ii) leased in (A) 1979, (B) 1983, (C) 1987, (D) 1992 and (E) 1997 in (1) the Southend, West constituency, (2) Essex, (3) Hertfordshire and (4) the Metropolitan police area of London.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has leased the following properties, all within the Metropolitan police area of London. No other properties or land have been leased in the Southend, West constituency, Essex or Hertfordshire areas.
	 1979:
	Eland House, Bressendon Place, London, SW1
	29 Bressendon Place, London, SW1
	 1987:
	Eland House, Bressendon Place, London, SW1
	 1992:
	94 Victoria Street, London, SW1
	 1997:
	94 Victoria Street, London, SW1
	 Current:
	1 Palace Street, London, SW1
	20 Victoria Street, SW1
	 Note:
	DFID also leased Glen House, Stag Place, between 1999 and 2002.

Maternal Health

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what steps are being taken by his Department  (a) to develop a comprehensive maternal health strategy and  (b) to disseminate this strategy to other international donors;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in  (a) the EU,  (b) the G8 and  (c) the UN about improving maternal health in developing countries;
	(3)  what steps are being taken by his Department to increase international action on maternal health issues.

Gareth Thomas: DFID is the only major bilateral donor to already have a specific strategy focusing on maternal health: "Reducing maternal deaths: evidence and action", which was launched in 2004. We have disseminated this comprehensive maternal health strategy throughout the international system, with other donors, the UN, and most importantly, with the developing partners we support.
	The strategy provides the basis for DFID support to improve maternal health at country level, which we do through a combination of programmes to strengthen health services and improve overall reproductive and child health, along with specific maternal health programmes and HIV interventions. Long-term support for maternal health in Nepal, for example, is demonstrating significant increases in women's access to emergency obstetric care in remote areas and in a fragile state. This work highlights the importance of support for community level action to overcome cultural and socio-economic barriers to accessing care, as well as the importance of addressing infrastructure (roads, bridges) and communications issues to ensure an effective referral system. In Malawi, DFID is supporting an Emergency Human Resource Programme to address the acute shortages of health workers, an issue which has been compounded by the AIDS epidemic. Overall investments for maternal health (including reproductive health services) have increased by over 40 per cent. over the past three years, to £242.9 million in 2004-05.
	The maternal health strategy also provides the platform for DFID's regular policy discussions with other donors, such as the EU, G8 and the UN, on the actions needed to improve maternal health in developing countries and the importance of doing more on maternal health. We are seeking to highlight the importance of maternal health within the current G8 process, although the prime health theme at present is infectious disease. We are also working to ensure that the new Partnership for Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health can play a useful role in advocating more action on maternal health, and to improve the way UN agencies work together on this issue.
	Importantly, good advocacy is based upon good data. Getting reliable information on maternal deaths is difficult in most developing countries where maternal deaths are not recorded and where more than half of all births take place at home, without a skilled attendant but either with relatives or alone. This is why DFID, along with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Gates Foundation, supports IMMPACT, the only global research initiative which is successfully identifying effective ways in which maternal deaths can be measured and the statistics used for high level advocacy. DFID further supports a recent global partnership, Health Metrics Network, which aims to provide country level support to Governments to get better data.

Patents

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures are in place to ensure that the holders of traditional knowledge  (a) are made aware of patent applications and  (b) are able to be fully involved in assessing intellectual applications based on traditional knowledge.

Gareth Thomas: The UK Patent Office publishes details of patent applications in its weekly publication "The Patents and Designs Journal" which is publicly available free of charge on the Patent Office Website at: http://www.patent.gov.uk/patent/dbase/index.htm.
	Worldwide published applications may be viewed using "Espacenet" which is a publicly available free of charge service which lists over 45 million patent specifications including GB specifications from 1918 to the present. This is available at: http://ep.espacenet.com.
	Indigenous peoples (holders of traditional knowledge) play an important role in the World Intellectual Property Organisation Inter-Governmental Committee on Traditional Knowledge, Folklore and Genetic Resources (IGC) where these matters are discussed. A voluntary fund has recently been set up to help ensure their participation in and attendance at this committee. The IGC has done important work on traditional knowledge databases and also on amending the international classification system for patents to include traditional knowledge and hence make it easier for holders of traditional knowledge to access patent applications based on traditional knowledge.
	The assessment of intellectual property applications is done by patent examiners and trademark examiners in the relevant country or jurisdiction. In the UK anyone can file observations on patentability with regard to patent applications, including the holders of traditional knowledge. This will then be taken into account when the patent is examined. In a similar manner, anyone can make observations about the registrability of a trademark. Further, trademarks applications can be opposed or subsequently invalidated if the mark designates a characteristic of those goods or services, or is otherwise non-distinctive. Similar arrangements are in place in most countries and jurisdictions.

Patents

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the Government's policy is on the proposals in the Trade-Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council to introduce a requirement for the declaration of origin of the use of genetic resources and associated knowledge into the TRIPS Agreement.

Gareth Thomas: The Government support the principle of developing countries' demands to disclose country of origin or source of genetic material within patent applications. This could assist these countries to keep track of patent applications linked to the use of their resources and check whether appropriate benefit sharing agreements are in place. The Government therefore supported the EU proposal submitted to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) in December 2004 which suggests that disclosure of country of origin or source in patent applications could be introduced on a global basis in national, regional and international patent applicants. We judged that this proposal strikes a good balance between achieving the objective of supporting developing countries' request to include disclosure of origin provisions in international patent law while ensuring that patents are not undermined and patent applicants are not overly burdened.
	We must however, ensure that the system is workable in practice and achieves the desired outcome (i.e. benefits are generated and shared appropriately). Therefore, we have so far focused our efforts on discussions in the WIPO IGC, where the technical expertise resides.

Patents

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what sanctions are in place to penalise intellectual property applicants who have illegally obtained genetic material or knowledge which forms all or part of their application.

Gareth Thomas: There are no measures under the laws of the UK, but a person violating the access laws of another country would be subject to any sanctions which may be provided for under those laws.

Patents

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures are in place to inform countries named as the source of traditional knowledge or genetic resources in patent applications that such an application has been made.

Gareth Thomas: There are no official measures in place to do this in the UK. Countries can of course use the "Espacenet" database which is a publicly available free of charge service which lists over 45 million patent specifications at: http://ep.espacenet.com/
	This issue is currently subject to discussions in the World Intellectual Property Organisation Inter-Governmental Committee on Traditional Knowledge, Folklore and Genetic Resources. The EU proposed a system of disclosure of origin of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge to this committee in 2005, suggesting that
	"It would be adequate to identify in particular the Clearing House Mechanism of the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) as the central body to which the patent offices should send the information available from the declarations on disclosure."
	Countries of source could then check with this clearing house to see which patent applications have named them as source. This proposal has not yet been adopted by the committee however.

Patents

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Government have instigated a system for informing the World Intellectual Property Organisation about the origins of traditional knowledge or genetic resources named in patent applications.

Gareth Thomas: The Government have contributed to and fully support an EU proposal for such a system. This issue is currently subject to discussions in the World Intellectual Property Organisation Inter-Governmental Committee on Traditional Knowledge, Folklore and Genetic Resources (IGC). The EU proposed a system of disclosure of origin of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge to this committee in 2005 suggesting that
	"It would be adequate to identify in particular the Clearing House Mechanism of the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) as the central body to which the patent offices should send the information available from the declarations on disclosure."

Patents

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to assess the impact on developing countries of geographical indications of traditional knowledge and genetic resources under trade-related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has been funding several efforts aiming at improving the understanding of the impact of international intellectual property rights protection on developing countries, starting with providing support to the 2002 UK Commission on Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR). In its work, the CIPR extensively investigated the impact on development of traditional knowledge and genetic resources protection. The CIPR published its findings in Chapters 3 and 4 of the report, which can be freely accessed at: http://wwwiprcommission.org, a website maintained by DFID. The report concludes that a disclosure requirement should be necessary.
	DFID has since been supporting analytical work and dialogues on these issues mostly through Geneva-based governmental and non governmental organisations, notably the expert work carried out jointly by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) successful and  (b) unsuccessful bids there were by each sub-Saharan country for grants from the Trade Related Capacity Building Fund in each of the last eight years; and how much was allocated to each successful bid.

Gareth Thomas: DFID provides Trade Related Capacity Building (TRCB) support to sub-Saharan African countries through its bilateral programmes and multilateral institutions. It does not have a stand alone TRCB Fund to which sub-Saharan African countries can bid. Therefore, we are unable to provide information on bids and their success.
	Our support for Trade Related Capacity Building for sub-Saharan African countries is allocated according to their TRCB needs as identified in their Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers or national development plans and in fulfilment of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) criteria for TRCB.
	For the period 1997-2005, DFID's financial records show that countries in sub-Saharan Africa received £16.2 million in support for trade and investment activities, through bilateral programmes and DFID supported multilateral institutions. Trade and investment activities are one aspect only of DFID's complete TRCB programme which includes private sector development, agricultural development, compliance with standards etc. Therefore, DFID's overall support to TRCB in sub-Saharan Africa is larger than the figure given. The difficulty in isolating the TRCB elements within large economic growth or regional programmes prevents us from providing further financial details on TRCB expenditure. Annexe A provides details per sub-Saharan African country of the DFID trade and investment expenditure for the period 1997-2005.
	In terms of specific TRCB programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, DFID currently runs an £11 million Regional Trade Facilitation Programme. The programme supports two regional economic communities, the Southern African Development Community and Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa, and their members in negotiations with the WTO and the European Commission and implementing regional integration.

Uganda

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to promote good governance in Uganda.

Hilary Benn: I recently visited Uganda where I met with President Museveni. In this meeting I emphasised the importance of good governance to our development partnership with Uganda. I noted in particular the importance of further deepening democracy following Uganda's first multi-party elections in 25 years in February, and action on corruption.
	DFID's programme in Uganda is promoting good governance. We are leading members of donor groups which have regular discussions with the Government about corruption, public service reform and public financial management and we are helping to establish the institutions required to fight corruption in Uganda. We are financing the Government's public service reform programme which is improving Government effectiveness, and the public financial management and accountability programme which is strengthening public financial management systems in both central and local government. We are also providing support to both Parliament and civil society which is helping to improve Government accountability.

UN Disaster Relief Operations

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department plans to take to strengthen the capacity of the UN system for  (a) leading and  (b) co-ordinating multilateral disaster relief operations.

Gareth Thomas: In December 2004, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development, proposed a package of six key reforms to improve the effectiveness of emergency response, with a particular focus on the UN as the global lead. The six reforms are:
	Establishment of a new global humanitarian fund;
	Strengthen the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator system;
	Common donor funding for the Humanitarian Co-ordinator to deploy on the most urgent unmet needs;
	Development of global benchmarks to measure humanitarian response performance;
	Increased donor focus on "forgotten", or under-funded, emergencies;
	Increased donor funding for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction.
	The United Nations is taking forward these reforms with the support and participation of the wider donor community, including DFID, NGOs and the Red Cross movement. In December 2005, a new UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) was approved by the UN General Assembly. It was launched on 9 March 2006 with $254 million from 38 donors, including $70 million from DFID. Under the direction of the UN's Emergency Relief Co-ordinator, the CERF is now enabling UN humanitarian agencies to respond rapidly to sudden disasters, such as earthquakes; time-critical responses in slow-onset disasters, such as drought; and essential life-saving actions in ongoing but under-funded crises such as in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad.
	A number of proposals for strengthening the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator system are being taken forward, including developing a pool of suitable candidates and associated training. Currently there are 21 trained humanitarian co-ordinators, including some from NGO or Red Cross backgrounds. Alongside this, DFID is leading seven other donors in piloting pooled country-level funding, to be used as directed by the resident humanitarian co-ordinator, in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo during 2006. DFID is also providing support to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in developing performance benchmarks for mortality, nutrition, and health. DFID has supported progress over the last 12 months in reforming the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and in March this year we launched our new Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy.
	In September 2005, the UN Inter-Agency Standing Committee, which deals with humanitarian issues, established a new 'cluster' system to deliver more accountable and predictable humanitarian responses. Named agencies have responsibility for co-ordinating responses in key sectors such as water and sanitation (UNICEF), protection (the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Logistics (the World Food Programme (WFP), and Health (the WHO), and developing networks or clusters of other agencies and NGOs to work together to improve capacity, performance, and effectiveness. DFID is currently considering, along with other donors, how best to support this initiative.
	In January 2006, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development, called for further reform of the international humanitarian system by improving the quality and focus of UN Flash Appeals. This involves developing agreements for the use of military assets; and for better accountability in humanitarian funding, performance, and outcomes for beneficiary communities. We are working along with other donors, the UN, and other humanitarian organisations to develop these initiatives.

Unemployment (West Bank)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of Palestinians on the west bank he estimates were  (a) unemployed and  (b) living below the poverty line in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the unemployment and poverty rates in the occupied Palestinian territories since 1997 were as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Unemployment rate (ILO definition)  Poverty rate (national poverty line) 
			 1997 20.3 (1)— 
			 1998 14.4 23.3 
			 1999 11.8 (1)— 
			 2000 14.1 (1)— 
			 2001 25.5 33.6 
			 2002 31.3 (1)— 
			 2003 25.6 (1)— 
			 2004 26.8 30.6 
			 2005 23.5 (1)— 
			 (1) No annual figures available.

World Food Programme (North Korea)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the UK's contribution to plans for food aid in North Korea to be carried out by the World Food Programme; and if he will make an assessment of malnutrition in that country.

Gareth Thomas: In 2005, DFID committed over £1.2 million of humanitarian assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). £1 million was channelled through UNICEF for water, sanitation and health care, and a further £200,000 through the International Federation of the Red Cross for disaster risk deduction.
	In late 2005, the DPRK said that it would no longer accept international humanitarian assistance. Furthermore, it has increased the already significant restrictions it places on the humanitarian community, with the consequence that DFID can no longer feel confident that programmes of assistance are appropriate and are reaching those who need it most. All World Food Programme (WFP) operations are funded solely from voluntary contributions and the UK is not contributing to the one in the DPRK.
	The UK has no plans to conduct a survey of malnutrition in the DPRK. Obtaining nutritional information is hampered by the constraints placed on the operations of international humanitarian agencies. The last international survey was carried out in 2004.

TRANSPORT

Aircraft Routes

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the  (a) current and  (b) proposed aircraft corridors are across (i) West Somerset and (ii) Sedgmoor district council areas.

Gillian Merron: On 16 March 2006 there were widespread changes to the civil aeronautical route structure over the West of England and Wales.
	Prior to 16 March 2006 the air route in the vicinity of West Somerset and Sedgmoor was Airway N864 with an axis 190°/010°, a lateral extent of 10 nautical miles and with the centreline approximately over Blue Anchor Bay. The vertical limits of the route extend from FL55 (5,500 feet above mean sea level) to the north of the coastline and FL65 (6,500 feet amsl) over land to an upper limit of FL245 (24,500 feet amsl). The volume of airspace within the airway is defined as controlled airspace. Above FL245 is the Upper Airspace Control Area, which covers the whole of the United Kingdom. Within the Upper Airspace Control Area above West Somerset and Sedgmoor existed the routes UN864, UN862, UM140, UM17 and UW501.
	The changes on 16 March did not affect N864, UN864, UM140, UM17 and UW501. However, a new route called N90 was introduced to the east of N864 for use between Friday evenings and Monday mornings. The lateral extent of the new controlled airspace is 12 nautical miles from the eastern boundary of N864 and with a lower limit of FL105 (10,500 feet amsl). In the Upper Control Area UN90 was introduced above N90 and UN862 was moved two nautical miles to the east to be above N862. A new Upper Air Route called UN22 was introduced parallel to and 12 nautical miles west of UN864.
	Additionally, there are proposed changes to controlled airspace associated with Bristol and Cardiff airports, which are intended to introduce new controlled airspace over part of West Somerset and Sedgmoor. It should be noted that aircraft operations associated with these airports occur today and the proposed new controlled airspace is designed to provide additional protection to these flights. The proposals have been the subject of public consultation, which included Members of Parliament, local authorities, representatives of areas of natural beauty and other interested parties within the areas affected. These changes are currently subject to regulatory consideration by the CAA.

Aircraft Routes

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the approach or departure routes for aircraft using Stansted airport have changed since January 2002.

Gillian Merron: The noise preferential departure routes from Stansted have not changed; nor have there been any changes to the arrangements for aircraft approaching Stansted airport from the ABBOT and LOREL holding stacks towards the final approach tracks. Two new Standard Arrival Routes (STARs)—ABBOT 1B and ABBOT 1C—for use by some aircraft routeing from the North sea towards the ABBOT stack, were introduced as part of the Clacton airspace change, which came into effect on 18 March 2004.

Aircraft Safety

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the head of the Pilot Confidential Reporting System is required to declare relevant interests.

Gillian Merron: The Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme provides a confidential reporting process for aviation personnel, including pilots. It is an independent charitable trust sponsored by the Civil Aviation Authority.
	The trust operates in accordance with the standards and recommended practices of the Charity Commission. All the trustees and employees are required, under Charity Commission rules, to declare relevant interests.

Airlines

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many airlines have been registered in the UK in each year since 2001.

Gillian Merron: The UK Civil Aviation Authority, which is the regulator for UK airlines, issued operating licences to the following number of air operators during the period in question:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2001 6 
			 2002 16 
			 2003 15 
			 2004 20 
			 2005 9 
			 2006 (to 11 May) 3

British Transport Police

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  when he last met the Secretary of State for Wales to discuss the review of the British Transport police; what the level of involvement of the Wales Office has been in the review; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the possible costs that may fall on Welsh police forces in the event that the British Transport police is merged with or linked to the Metropolitan police or other home county forces; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the costs to  (a) Welsh police forces,  (b) the National Assembly for Wales and  (c) Welsh local authorities in the event that the review of the British Transport police results in the policing service being operated by the industry itself.

Derek Twigg: The review of the British Transport police is ongoing and its conclusions will be reported in due course. During the course of the review, the review team have had discussions with the Welsh Assembly on a number of issues.
	When my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the review he confirmed that the Government remain committed to the principle that the costs of policing the railway should remain largely funded by the industry itself.

Building Research Establishment

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Building Research Establishment receives funding from  (a) Boeing,  (b) British Aerospace and  (c) Airbus.

Gillian Merron: The Building Research Establishment (BRE) is a private commercial consultancy and research organisation. It receives its income from a variety of clients, which include private companies, Government Departments, national Governments, independent public organisations, and the European Commission. BRE receives no general funding from any commercial organisation.
	For reasons of client confidentiality, BRE does not disclose specific client identity.

Bus Services

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what he estimates the total public spending will be  (a) per head of the population and  (b) per passenger on bus services (i) including and (ii) excluding spending on concessionary travel in (A) London, (B) each passenger transport executive area and (C) the rest of England in (1) 2006-07 and (2) each of the next five years.

Gillian Merron: Expenditure on bus services and concessionary travel is largely met by local authorities from their revenue support grant. Information on the budget estimates for spending by local transport authorities outside London in 2006-07 on these items is due to be published in June. Estimates by local authority area of spend on bus support and concessionary fares in future years have not yet been made.
	Levels of expenditure on bus support and concessionary travel within London are controlled directly by the Mayor of London. Transport for London's plans include, provision for the extension of free travel on London buses to cover 16 to 17-year-olds who are in full-time education from September 2006.

Bus Services

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus services have been  (a) withdrawn and  (b) added to service in Tamworth constituency in each financial year since 1 April 1998.

Gillian Merron: The data kept by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency on registered bus services do not differentiate between Tamworth and the rest of the Wales and West Midlands Traffic Area. For tables showing the number of bus services added and withdrawn in each traffic area since 1 April 1998, I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 16 February 2006,  Official Report, column 2406W.

Bus Services

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce a statutory requirement for bus companies to publish reliability statistics.

Gillian Merron: There are no plans at present. The Department is keen that bus operators and local authorities work together to find practical ways of improving the punctuality and reliability of bus services, using the Punctuality Improvement Partnership model developed by the Bus Partnership Forum.

Bus Services

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus services have been  (a) withdrawn and  (b) added to service in (i) England and (ii) Kingston upon Hull in each financial year since 1 April 1998.

Gillian Merron: The data kept by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency on registered bus services does not differentiate between Kingston upon Hull and the rest of the North Eastern Traffic Area. For tables showing the number of bus services added and withdrawn in each traffic area since 1 April 1998, I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 16 February 2006,  Official Report, column 2406W.

Car Ownership

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the percentage of households owning  (a) one,  (b) two,  (c) three and  (d) four or more cars in each region of the United Kingdom in (i) 2003, (ii) 2004, (iii) 2005 and (iv) to date in 2006.

Stephen Ladyman: Data on household car availability in 2003 and 2004 by region in the United Kingdom are given in the following table. Data for 2005 and 2006 are not available.
	Figures for Great Britain are based on combined data from the National Travel Survey, the Family Expenditure Survey and the General Household Survey. Data for Northern Ireland are based on the Travel Survey for Northern Ireland.
	
		
			  Household car ownership by Government Office Region and country: 2003 and 2004 
			  Percentage 
			   No cars  One car  Two cars  Three or more cars  All households 
			  2003  
			 North East 37 44 17 3 100 
			 North West and Merseyside 28 45 23 4 100 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 30 44 22 4 100 
			 East Midlands 22 46 26 6 100 
			 West Midlands 25 42 27 6 100 
			 Eastern 18 44 31 7 100 
			 London 36 43 18 3 100 
			 South East 17 42 33 8 100 
			 South West 19 47 27 7 100 
			   
			 England 25 44 25 5 100 
			 Wales 25 46 24 4 100 
			 Scotland 31 43 22 3 100 
			 Northern Ireland 26 47 23 5 100 
			   
			  2004  
			 North East 35 42 21 3 100 
			 North West and Merseyside 26 44 25 5 100 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 27 46 23 4 100 
			 East Midlands 22 46 26 6 100 
			 West Midlands 24 44 27 6 100 
			 Eastern 17 45 30 7 100 
			 London 39 43 15 3 100 
			 South East 18 43 32 7 100 
			 South West 16 47 31 6 100 
			   
			 England 25 44 26 5 100 
			 Wales 25 44 26 5 100 
			 Scotland 31 43 22 3 100 
			 Northern Ireland 27 42 26 4 100

Concessionary Fares

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the funding required to fund free off-peak travel for  (a) older and  (b) disabled persons on buses in Kingston upon Hull, North;
	(2)  how much funding the Government are providing to Kingston upon Hull council to provide free bus travel for  (a) older and  (b) disabled persons.

Gillian Merron: The Government are providing an extra £350 million for 2006-07 through the formula grant system. This will be sufficient in aggregate to fund the additional cost to local authorities. This funding is unhypothecated; therefore the funding for concessionary fares is not separately identified.

Concorde

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with British Airways on the cost of reinstating Concorde.

Gillian Merron: None. Issues concerning Concorde remain a matter for British Airways and Airbus.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the  (a) public and  (b) private sector organisations to which the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has (i) sold and (ii) provided drivers' names and addresses in the last two years; and what the reason for the data sharing or data transfer was in each case.

Stephen Ladyman: Access to the driver database is governed by the Data Protection Act 1998 and in general, details of a record can be released only to the data subject themselves or to a third party with the data subject's consent.
	DVLA has an obligation to release information from the vehicle record to those who demonstrate a legitimate right to receive it. Various other Government and law enforcement bodies have powers under different legislation to request information from DVLA for prescribed purposes. DVLA does not record the frequency of requests from each enquirer. Table 1, which has been placed in the House Libraries, lists those who are likely to have received information in the last two years and for what purpose, under various legislative powers. All are provided with the information in accordance with the relevant Act, and no fee is levied.
	Table 2 outlines organisations that have received information under Regulation 27(1 )(e) of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002. Table 3 lists the reasons for the request. Both of these tables have also been placed in the House Libraries.
	Any private organisation or individual listed will have been charged a fee of £2.50 per inquiry made. No fee is levied on public bodies.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the new arrangements for driving licence fees will come into force.

Stephen Ladyman: Proposals for restructuring DVLA's fees are currently out for public consultation. The consultation period closes on 21 July 2006. Until we have analysed the responses to the consultation and agreed a way forward we cannot give a firm date for any changes there may be to driving licence fees.

Emergency Services

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how blue light driver training will be  (a) delivered and  (b) certified for members of the medical profession who provide volunteer assistance to the emergency services; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: Subject to parliamentary approval the Road Safety Bill will provide powers for us to quality assure the content and delivery of blue light training. The Driving Standards Agency will consult with stakeholders before any decisions are made as to how such training will be delivered or certified.
	However, in the absence of a regulatory regime, DSA developed an agreed set of minimum core competencies for drivers of emergency vehicles. These were published in 2001 as the "Blue Light Users Working Party Expectations Document". DSA had worked together with the ambulance and fire services, police and the Ministry of Defence to develop this document. It was agreed that each service should tailor any training based on these competencies to the needs of their own drivers and vehicles. The expectation document is available on the DSA website:
	www.dsa.gov.uk

Finsbury Park Station

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to transfer the management of Finsbury Park station to Transport for London.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport has no plans to transfer the management of Finsbury Park station at present.

Highways Act

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the operation of section 161 of the Highways Act 1980; what recent representations he has received about the operation of this  (a) section and  (b) Act; what amendments have been made to the Act; and what plans he has to amend this Act.

Stephen Ladyman: Section 161 of the Highways Act 1980 deals with penalties for causing certain kinds of danger or annoyance to users of the highway. If a person without lawful authority or excuse deposits anything whatsoever on a highway in consequence of which a user of the highway is injured or endangered, that person is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine.
	In the last 12 months the Department has dealt with two representations from members of the public concerning this section.
	The Highways Act 1980 contains more than 300 sections and 25 schedules. A large number of amendments have been made to the Highways Act in the last 26 years and the cost of collating a list would be disproportionate. As there is no central record of representations received by the Department that would enable officials to identify those about the operation of the whole Act, it would also incur disproportionate cost to do so.
	However, section 161 subsections (1), (3) and (4) of the Highways Act 1980 were amended by sections 38 and 46 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982. These amendments raised the level of the fines. Section 161 subsection (2) was substituted by the Highways (Amendment) Act 1986 and relates to creating criminal offences in relation to lighting fires or discharging firearms or fireworks in the vicinity of the highway.
	We have no plans to amend the Highways Act 1980.

Level Crossings

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents have been recorded at level crossings in each year since 1997; and how many of these resulted in  (a) death and  (b) injury.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  Incidents, death and injuries( 1)  at level crossings on Britain's level crossings, 1997 to 2004( 2) 
			   (a) Incidents  (b) Deaths  (c) Injuries 
			 1996-97 33 3 35 
			 1997-98 34 14 31 
			 1998-99 37 11 34 
			 1999-2000 32 13 28 
			 2000-01 27 10 24 
			 2001-02 27 11 11 
			 2002-03 27 13 28 
			 2003-04 28 18 25 
			 2004(3) 26 11 56 
			 (1) These figures do not include suicides.  (2 )Figures taken from HMRI's annual reports on railway safety.  (3) This is a nine-month report period as part of the transition to a European requirement that rail accident statistics be published on a calendar year basis.

Ministerial Travel

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for Ministers of State in his Department on foreign visits in each of the last three years;
	(2)  on how many occasions Ministers of State in his Department stayed overnight in  (a) five-star,  (b) four-star and  (c) three-star hotels on foreign visits in each of the last three years.

Stephen Ladyman: The total costs of accommodation outside the United Kingdom for all four Ministers in the Department for Transport undertaking official business, including the costs of any accompanying Private Secretaries, for each of the last three financial years are:
	2003-04: £6,907
	2004-05: £2,423
	2005-06: £9,094.
	Information about the category of any hotels at which Ministers have stayed is not held centrally.
	Ministerial travel is conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers. When travelling on official business Ministers are expected to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
	Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year, this information includes accommodation costs. Copies are available in the Library.

MOT Fee

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his policy that the maximum MOT fee will remain constant during the lifetime of this Parliament.

Stephen Ladyman: No. We intend to continue current policy which is to review MOT fees annually to take account of changes in cost such as inflation and any changes in the time it takes to conduct an average MOT test.

Motorways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many  (a) vehicles and  (b) heavy goods vehicles used the M6 toll motorway in each of the last 24 months;
	(2)  how many  (a) vehicles and  (b) heavy goods vehicles travelled on the M6 toll motorway on average each day in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: The available information is contained in the following table. The figures have been taken from information provided on the website of Midlands Expressway Ltd., the operators of the toll road.
	The company does not provide separate figures for heavy goods vehicles. The table gives average traffic figures for each month, broken down for workdays and weekends/public holidays, covering the period from the opening of the M6 Toll in December 2003 to April 2006.
	
		
			  Month  Workdays  Weekends/public holidays  All days 
			 December 2003 34,848 33,929 34,490 
			 January 2004 32,763 26,249 30,662 
			 February 2004 40,304 30,648 37,308 
			 March 2004 41,880 33,120 39,620 
			 April 2004 47,247 39,575 44,689 
			 May 2004 46,921 36,436 42,862 
			 June 2004 50,414 41,311 47,986 
			 July 2004 58,340 47,896 55,308 
			 August 2004 56,855 52,225 55,362 
			 September 2004 53,604 47,745 52,041 
			 October 2004 52,887 44,686 50,242 
			 November 2004 50,311 38,106 47,057 
			 December 2004 49,146 37,992 45,548 
			 January 2005 43,344 29,620 38,474 
			 February 2005 46,571 33,780 42,917 
			 March 2005 49,626 38,266 45,961 
			 April 2005 50,845 36,667 46,591 
			 May 2005 50,365 36,020 45,274 
			 June 2005 48,544 36,474 45,325 
			 July 2005 50,279 39,179 46,873 
			 August 2005 48,872 41,816 46,824 
			 September 2005 48,523 39,076 46,004 
			 October 2005 50,027 38,246 46,227 
			 November 200 48,852 32,844 44,583 
			 December 2005 47,499 32,633 42,224 
			 January 2006 41,632 26,414 36,723 
			 February 2006 46,660 31,190 42,240 
			 March 2006 47,726 30,033 43,160 
			 April 2006 51,811 36,954 45,868

Motorways

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the opening dates of each junction of  (a) the M25 and  (b) the M1.

Stephen Ladyman: Opening dates of each junction on the M1 and M25 can be found at www.iht.org/motorway/openings.htm

Pass Plus Certificates

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Pass Plus certificates have been  (a) applied for and  (b) issued by the Driving Standards Agency in each of the last eight weeks.

Stephen Ladyman: During the eight weeks since 20 March 2006, the Driving Standards Agency issued the following number of Pass Plus certificates:
	
		
			  Week commencing:  Number 
			 20 March 2006 2,399 
			 27 March 2006 32 
			 3 April 2006 1,224 
			 10 April 2006 1,405 
			 17 April 2006 1,719 
			 24 April 2006 2,950 
			 1 May 2006 1,973 
			 8 May 2006 2,603 
		
	
	The agency does not retain data on the number of applications received for Pass Plus certificates but receives on average 300 per day.

Rail Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce cancellations by train operating companies (TOCs); and if he will consider rescinding franchises from those TOCs with a poor record of punctuality.

Derek Twigg: The number of trains cancelled on the network has decreased in each year since 2000-01, and the Department continues to discuss with the rail industry how to maintain this improvement.
	Franchise agreements contain minimum performance requirements, and in the case of sustained poor performance below these levels, train operating companies can incur penalties eventually leading to termination of an agreement.

Rail Services

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will reopen the main line to Heathfield from Exeter City Basin rejoining the main line at Newton Abbott or a similar routing to provide an alternative route bypassing Dawlish Warren; and what assessment he has made of the effect of rising water levels on the incidence of line closure in winter months of the main line to Penzance.

Derek Twigg: The Government have no plans to re-open any lines as an alternative route bypassing Dawlish Warren.
	Network Rail advises me that it continues to take forward a phased programme of major works to improve the safety and all year round operational integrity of the railway in the Dawlish area. Network Rail will work with Devon county council to manage the sea defences in the long term as changes occur to sea levels.

Rail Services

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role the Government are playing in the setting of the train timetable from Paddington to the West Country being discussed with Network Rail; and what part the Government will play in future alterations to the timetable.

Derek Twigg: The detailed construction of the timetable from Paddington to the West Country is a matter for First Great Western (FGW) working within the framework provided by the Department for Transport's (DfT) specifications. In doing so, FGW is taking into account comments received from its timetable consultation exercise, and is working with Network Rail in line with the standard rail industry timetabling processes. The DfT would play the same role in relation to any future changes which might happen to the timetable.

Road Building Costs

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost per mile was of  (a) building and  (b) maintaining (i) three lane motorways, (ii) dual carriageways and (iii) single lane roads in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael) of 4 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1737W, which gave the average costs per mile of building motorways and dual carriageways. Additionally single lane roads cost the Highways Agency £10 million per mile, based on schemes completed in each of the last five years. Insufficient projects have been opened to traffic in each year to provide averages for the last 10 years.
	I also refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 28 February 2006,  Official Report, column 675W, which set out the costs to the Highways Agency of maintaining the network. Costs broken down by road type are not available.
	The costs of building and maintaining various types of non-trunk roads are held by the local highway authorities responsible for them. This information is not collated centrally.

Road Building Costs

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average difference between road building tender costs and road building outturn costs has been in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Ladyman: The following table records the average percentage difference, in each of the last 10 years, between works tender cost and works forecast outturn for completed publicly funded trunk road and motorway improvement projects, costing more than £5 million, for which the Highways Agency is responsible.
	Average percentage variance between works tender cost and works forecast outturn for completed major projects
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 1996-97 48 
			 1997-98 38 
			 1998-99 28 
			 1999-2000 43 
			 2000-01 30 
			 2001-02 10 
			 2002-03 18 
			 2003-04 12 
			 2004-05 9 
			 2005-06 6 
		
	
	The Highways Agency does not hold the information to enable a similar comparison to be made for privately funded design, build, finance and operate projects.
	Non-trunk roads projects are the responsibility of the relevant highways authority and the information requested is not collated centrally in relation to those schemes.

Road Charging

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce which local authorities have been chosen to run the planned road-charging pilot schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) has been established, in part, to support packages of measures to address congestion, including road pricing schemes. Funding is available from 2008-09. Decisions on which schemes will receive funding from TIF can be made only once robust and workable proposals, consisting of a full scheme business case, have been submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) by local areas. Guidance on the operation of the TIF was published in January 2006 (a copy is available in the Library of the House).
	The funding decisions will be conditional on any necessary powers or consents being obtained. Any non-Greater London Authority road pricing scheme in England cannot start until the local authority concerned has made a scheme order containing the details of their scheme and submitted it to the Secretary of State and it has been confirmed, as set out in Part 3 of the Transport Act 2000. The Secretary of State cannot pre-judge any applications that might be made to him in the future.

Road Fuel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps he has  (a) taken and  (b) plans to take (i) to make ethanol cheaper than petrol and (ii) to encourage motorists to convert their car to use ethanol; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will introduce an interest-free loan scheme to allow motorists to convert their car to use ethanol; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government already support the use of bioethanol as a transport fuel by means of a 20 pence per litre fuel duty incentive. Since this was introduced in January 2005, sales of bioethanol in the UK have increased from zero to a monthly average of some 7 million litres. We have also announced that we will introduce a Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation in 2008, which will require all transport fuel suppliers to ensure that biofuels account for a certain percentage of their total fuel sales. In 2010, the level of the obligation will reach 5 per cent., which should mean that annual sales of bioethanol reach over a billion litres a year.
	European Union fuel quality standards currently allow 5 per cent. ethanol to be blended into petrol, and all petrol vehicles are already capable of running on these blends. Above that level, a number of technical modifications are required to vehicles and to refuelling points. We introduced a new grant programme in 2005 to support the installation of alternative refuelling infrastructure, and through this we are supporting the installation of a small number of high-level ethanol pumps. In addition, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the March 2006 Budget that cars manufactured to run on high-level ethanol blends will qualify for the reduced rate of Vehicle Excise Duty for alternatively fuelled cars. Beyond that, the Government have no current plans for other incentives.

Road Fund Licence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications for road fund licences were received  (a) in total and  (b) by means of the internet on each working day in the two months before and including 22 March in (i) 2006, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			  Vehicle relicensing  Total  Electronic 
			 January, February and March 2004 10,543,187 453 
			 January, February and March 2005 10,216,572 112,029 
			 January, February and March 2006 10,691,531 626,817

Road Funding (Somerset)

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much central Government funding has been allocated to Somerset county council for road improvement in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The Department has allocated Somerset county council £92 million of central Government funding in the last five years, through its Local Transport Plan for highways capital maintenance and transport improvement schemes (each costing less than £5 million). It is up to Somerset county council to determine exactly how it spends this money. These figures are broken down in the following table.
	Somerset county council has also received £12 million of funding for the North West Taunton Package. The North West Taunton Package consists of a new road bridge crossing the railway line as well as a 600 space park and ride site. It also includes bus priority and traffic calming measures.
	Somerset county council has also received Government funding support for its day-to-day roads activities through revenue support grant. Revenue support grant provides support for a range of local services and does not include a specific allocation for roads.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Nature of capital funding  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Highways Maintenance 12.306 10.763 12.766 15.958 15.958 
			 Integrated Transport Block 4.881 5.001 5.841 4.058 4.294 
			 Total 17.187 15.764 18.607 20.016 20.252

Road Funding (Somerset)

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much central funding has been allocated to road signage in Somerset in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The Department has allocated Somerset county council £92 million of central Government funding in the last five years, through its Local Transport Plan for highways capital maintenance and transport improvement schemes (each costing less than £5 million). Details are contained in my answer to question No: 70166. It is up to Somerset county council to determine exactly how it spends this money, but this funding support can be used for capital works on signs.
	Somerset county council has also received Government funding support for its day-to-day roads activities (including related to signs) through revenue support grant. Revenue support grant provides support for a range of local services and does not include a specific allocation for roads.

Road Funding (Somerset)

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding Kingston upon Hull council received from his Department  (a) in total,  (b) per mile of road and  (c) per head of population in each year since 1997-98.

Gillian Merron: The following table shows the total funding allocated to the Kingston upon Hull city council in the local transport capital settlements between 1997-98 and 2005-06 (inclusive) in terms of totals, per mile of road, and per head of population.
	
		
			  Kingston upon Hull council 
			  £000 
			   Total funding  Funds (£000) per mile( 1)  Funds (£ per head) ( 1) 
			 1997-98 3,711 8 14.9 
			 1998-99 3,012 6.5 12.1 
			 1999-2000 3,778 8.2 15.2 
			 2000-01 4,136 9 16.7 
			 2001-02 8,601 18.7 34.6 
			 2002-03 7,261 15.8 29.2 
			 2003-04 7,478 16.3 30 
			 2004-05 8,732 19 35.1 
			 2005-06 7,865 17.2 31.6 
			 (1) The population and road mileage for the year 2004 has been used in the calculations, the road mileage being 458 miles and the population 248,500.

Road Safety

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents have been attributed to vehicles skidding in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of personal injury road accidents in Great Britain reported to the police involving one or more vehicles skidding in the years 1997 to 2004 (the latest year for which figures are available) is given in the following table.
	
		
			  The number of accidents involving a vehicle skidding: Great Britain, 1997-2004 
			   Number 
			 1997 56,820 
			 1998 55,274 
			 1999 54,065 
			 2000 53,216 
			 2001 54,026 
			 2002 52,213 
			 2003 49,279 
			 2004 48,069

Road Safety

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many head-on collisions have led to  (a) fatalities and  (b) serious injury in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of personal injury road accidents reported to the police involving two vehicles with frontal impacts, leading to  (a) fatalities and  (b) serious injuries, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of road accidents leading to fatalities and serious injuries involving two vehicles with frontal impacts( 1) : Great Britain, 1997-2004 
			   Fatal accidents( 2)  Serious accidents( 2) 
			 1997 486 5,229 
			 1998 480 4,914 
			 1999 473 4,921 
			 2000 478 4,582 
			 2001 466 4,470 
			 2002 478 4,220 
			 2003 461 4,111 
			 2004 433 3,765 
			 (1) May include a minority of road accidents where both vehicles had frontal impacts but not necessarily with the other vehicle.  (2) The severity of the most seriously injured casualty in the accident. 
		
	
	Road accidents involving more than two vehicles have been excluded because head-on collisions cannot be accurately identified from the information held in these cases.

Roads (Suffolk)

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the total mileage travelled on roads in Suffolk by  (a) all vehicles and  (b) cars in each of the past 10 years.

Stephen Ladyman: The following table gives the information requested for each year from 1995 to 2004 (the latest year for which estimates are available):
	
		
			  Estimated distance travelled in Suffolk 
			  (million vehicle miles) 
			   All motor vehicles  Cars 
			 1995 3,182 2,529 
			 1996 3,262 2,587 
			 1997 3,369 2,652 
			 1998 3,403 2,656 
			 1999 3,472 2,712 
			 2000 3,476 2,706 
			 2001 3,531 2,748 
			 2002 3,610 2,806 
			 2003 3,657 2.827 
			 2004 3,709 2,861

Royal Flight

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government's policy is on the use of fixed wing aircraft BAe146 by members of the Royal Family for private purposes.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 18 May 2006
	The BAe146 and HS125 aircraft of 32 Squadron may be used by senior members of the Royal Family (HM the Queen, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and HRH the Prince of Wales) for private journeys with the cost of the journey reimbursed at a commercial rate.

Safety at Sea

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he has taken since 1997 to improve safety at sea within United Kingdom territorial waters; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government take maritime safety seriously. Since merchant shipping is very largely an international activity, the UK plays a leading role in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and in the EU on a range of safety measures aimed at improving the safety of ships. From 1997 those measures have included:
	
		
			  Date  Action taken 
			 1997 Introduction of the International and Domestic Safety Management Codes. 
			 1999 Introduction of controls on the working hours of seafarers. 
			 2000 UK initiated action at IMO to increase the compensation limit for a shipping accident by 50 per cent. to £177 million. 
			 2000 UK supported EU maritime measures on improved port state control and monitoring of classification societies. 
			 2000 UK supported the international Quality Shipping Campaign which led to the introduction of the EQUASIS on-line quality shipping database providing safety-related information on the world's merchant fleet. 
			 2001 Number of Emergency Towing Vessels (ETVs) in UK increased to four and on station all year round. 
			 2001 UK helped secure international agreement to accelerate the phase out of single hull oil tankers. 
			 2003 UK helped secure international agreement on a further acceleration in the phasing out of single hull oil tankers. 
			 2003 UK supported EU legislation on improved stability requirements for Ro-Ro ferries, harmonised seafarer training, and introduction of a vessel traffic monitoring and information system. 
			 2005 UK promoted the introduction of the IMO Member State Audit Scheme to assist IMO Member States' implementation and enforcement of IMO requirements. 
			 2005 UK Presidency began work on new directives on vessel traffic monitoring and port state control (work continues under the Austrian Presidency). 
		
	
	Most merchant shipping in United Kingdom territorial waters (in transit or calling at UK ports) is engaged on international trades and will be subject to international safety regulation. Ships which are engaged on domestic voyages only are subject to the international regulations where appropriate or to a domestic equivalent reflecting the nature of voyages and the UK sea areas in which the ships operate. An example of the latter is the domestic version of the International Safety Management Code.

Thameslink 2000

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 26 January 2006,  Official Report, columns 2278-9W, on Thameslink 2000, whether the inspector has presented his report to him; and whether the TravelWatch report has been completed.

Stephen Ladyman: We received the inspector's report on the re-opened Thameslink 2000 inquiry on 21 February 2006 and the London TravelWatch report on the related rail closures on 20 April 2006. Both of these reports are currently being considered by the Department.

Transport Expenditure

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total projected public expenditure per head of population for transport is for  (a) London,  (b) each of the English passenger transport executive areas and  (c) each of the English regions for (i) 2006-07 and (ii) each of the following five years.

Gillian Merron: Information on the Department's identifiable expenditure by region per head, planned for 2006-07 and 2007-08, was published in the Department's Annual Report 2005 (Cm 6527), table A8. No other regional breakdown of total public expenditure for transport in future years has been made.

Transport Expenditure

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the projected central Government expenditure is per head of population for local public transport for  (a) London,  (b) each of the English passenger transport executive areas and  (c) each of the English regions in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) each of the following five years.

Gillian Merron: Table 9 of the Department's Annual Report 2005 (Cm 6527) includes the Department's identifiable expenditure on local public transport by region for 2003-04. No comprehensive projections of central Government expenditure for local public transport in future years have been made, as the allocation of funding to different functions depends on decisions made by individual authorities.

Transport Expenditure

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the public expenditure per head of population was for local public transport for  (a) London,  (b) each of the English passenger transport executive areas and  (c) each English region in each of the last 10 years; and what the basis is for his calculations;
	(2)  what the public spend per head of population for local transport overall was for  (a) London,  (b) each of the passenger transport executive areas in England and  (c) each English region for each of the last 10 years; and on what basis this was calculated.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 8 May 2006
	The information requested on public expenditure for local transport is not collected centrally in the form requested.

Trunk Roads (Litter)

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve litter collection on trunk roads in Northumberland under the control of the Highways Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency is responsible only for the A1(T), A19(T) and A69(T) in Northumberland.
	Under the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990: Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse, the responsibility for clearing litter on the A1(T) and A19(T) in Northumberland lies with local authorities. In the case of the A1(T) and A19(T), the Highways Agency works with local authorities in Northumberland and is currently negotiating agreements to undertake litter picking on their behalf. In addition, it is also the Highways Agency's policy to collect litter during routine grass cutting operations and let local authorities know when traffic management is in place so that they can make use of this for clearing litter. Routine grass cutting operations in Northumberland are scheduled to begin in June this year.
	The A69 is a Design Build Finance & Operate (DBFO) route and responsibility for the removal of litter rests with the DBFO Company Roadlink (A69) Ltd. under the terms of its contract.

Unfilled Rail Posts

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to reduce the number of unfilled rail posts in his Department; how many such posts are vacant; and whether he is considering outsourcing to the private sector.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 17 May 2006
	The Department for Transport's Rail Directorate currently has 11 vacant posts.
	Five of these posts are in the process of being advertised internally. One post is being advertised externally following an unsuccessful internal recruitment exercise. Recruitment into the remaining five posts is on hold.
	There are currently no plans to outsource the work currently undertaken by the Rail Group to the private sector.

Uninsured Motorists

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's estimate is of the number of uninsured motorists driving on public roads in each of the last five years; and what percentage of all drivers this represented in each year.

Stephen Ladyman: Our latest estimate is based on a comparison of the vehicle register, maintained by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), and the motor insurance database. It is that there are about 2 million vehicles (about 6 per cent. of the UK vehicle fleet) being driven by uninsured drivers. There are no similar comparisons for earlier years.

Vehicle Excise Duty

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people in Greater London were fined for non-payment of vehicle excise duty in  (a) 1997-98 and  (b) 2004-05.

Stephen Ladyman: Vehicle excise duty (VED) prosecution figures are not held prior to the 1999-2000 financial year.
	During the period April 2004 to the end of March 2005, a total of 39,186 cases were convicted in court for vehicle excise duty evasion by DVLA London offices. A further 25,120 people settled out of court.
	A VED offence is prosecuted in the area in which it is detected wherever the driver is resident. A breakdown of cases by reference to the driver's residence could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agricultural Support

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding the Department has allocated to the dairy industry to promote dairy products in each of the last five years.

Barry Gardiner: Grants have been available during each of the last five years through the Agriculture Development Scheme for the promotion of greater efficiency throughout the food chain, the Processing and Marketing Grant for assistance with processing and marketing of agricultural products, and through the Rural Enterprise Scheme for the marketing of quality agricultural products and for small-scale on-farm processing projects. A number of dairy processors and dairy marketing organisations have benefited from funding from each of these schemes.
	I will write to the hon. Member shortly with the details of funding for the dairy industry.

Agricultural Support

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Department has allocated to supporting organic farming in the last five years; and how much of this was to assist transition of farms to organic farming.

Ben Bradshaw: The amount allocated over the last five years to support organic farming under the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) and its predecessor, the Organic Aid Scheme (OAS), including support for conversion was £49.8 million.
	The OFS closed to new applications at the end of March 2005. It was replaced by Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS). Under OELS, the cash spend to date is just over £753,000. Some £9.8 million has also been committed over the next three years to fund the cost of conversion under this new scheme.
	Over the last five years DEFRA has also provided funding for the Organic Conversion Information Service (OCIS), a free advice service for farmers interested in converting to organic farming, at a cost of £1.3 million.

Agricultural Support

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much financial support the Soil Association received from the Department in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: For each of the financial years 2001/2002 until 2005/2006 the following grant payments were made to the Soil Association and its associated certification companies, Soil Association Certification Limited and ASCISCO.
	
		
			  (a) Payments made by Defra to Soil Association Certification Limited and ASCISCO as part of the partnership agreement with organic certification bodies in connection with the implementation of the EU Organic inspection regime 
			   Amount (£) 
			 2001-02 261,827.50 
			 2002-03 278,964.00 
			 2003-04 283,820.25 
			 2004-05 296,662.80 
			 2005-06 284,274.40 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) Grant payments to the Soil Association under the Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES) and Vocational Training Scheme (VTS) and the England Objective 1 programme 
			   Amount (£) 
			 2001-02 146,262.88 
			 2002-03 274,689.60 
			 2003-04 365,917.08 
			 2004-05 341,676.62 
			 2005-06 588,648.98

Air Passenger Duty

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the environmental impact of the current structure of air passenger duty.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	No formal assessment of the environmental impact of its current structure has been made, but the Government will continue to explore options for developing economic instruments, including air passenger duty, through which improved environmental performance in the aviation sector can be incentivised.

Angling

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of the Environment Agency's survey of Public Attitudes to Angling 2005; and what response has been made to its findings.

Barry Gardiner: The Environment Agency's Public Attitudes to Angling 2005 survey cost £14,000.
	In response to the findings the agency has produced local and regional angling guides and made them widely available. They are working with angling governing bodies to develop more angling coaches, and supporting initiatives including National Fishing Week. The agency will also continue to work with partners to develop further opportunities for angling participation.

Asda

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 April 2006,  Official Report, column 813W, on Asda, if he will list the participants at the meetings that took place between his Department and representatives of Asda, including Asda's parent company Wal-Mart, on  (a) 22 July 2005,  (b) 11 November 2005,  (c) 8 December 2005,  (d) 8 February 2006 and  (e) 3 March 2006.

Barry Gardiner: Data privacy legislation makes it inappropriate to list the participants in those meetings.

Avian Influenza

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the use of ventilation shutdown as a method of killing birds for the purpose of disease control with Annexe E and Article 3 of Council Directive 93/119/EEC on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The use of ventilation shutdown as a method of killing birds for the purpose of disease control is compatible with EU Directive 93/119/EC. The directive allows for disease control methods not specifically listed in the text of the directive, provided any pain or suffering to the birds is unavoidable. Appropriate measures must be taken to kill the animals as soon as possible and before they regain consciousness. Nothing can be done to the animals before it is ascertained they are dead.
	Any use of ventilation shutdown as a method of killing diseased birds would be compliant with these requirements and be restricted to circumstances where no other method, as outlined in Schedule 9 of the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (as amended), could be practicably employed for the killing of large numbers of birds on a specific farm.

Avian Influenza

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment has been made by his officials of the animal welfare implications of the use of ventilation shutdown as a method of killing birds for the purpose of disease control; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  in what circumstances the use of ventilation shutdown as a method of killing birds for the purpose of disease control would be authorised; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I have received veterinary advice that ventilation shutdown (VSD) is unlikely to deliver welfare standards equal to other recognised culling methods available.
	The use of ventilation shutdown would therefore only be authorised as a last resort where no other method, as outlined in Schedule 9 of the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995, could be practicably employed for the killing of large numbers of birds on a specific farm for disease control purposes.
	The priority in dealing with a notifiable animal disease is to ensure that public health and safety of poultry workers is protected, particularly where, as with some strains of the avian influenza virus, there is a risk of human infection. Disease outbreaks must be dealt with quickly and effectively to reduce the likelihood of further spread of disease and it remains our intention to kill birds by the most humane method possible.
	We must however be prepared for all eventualities including extreme circumstances where catchers are unavailable, logistical capabilities are stretched and where a grave threat to public health exists. The risk of that may be very small but it is right that we provide for it.
	To enhance our capability to kill large numbers of birds through humane means, we have developed, and continue to develop, the use of gas or gas mixtures. Such techniques have been endorsed by the Humane Slaughter Association and were used successfully in the recent disease incidence in Norfolk. We expect that such techniques will be useable in the great majority of circumstances where an outbreak occurs.

Avian Influenza

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the occasions since September 2005 on which blood samples from birds initially tested positive for avian influenza virus types; where the birds were located in each case; what action was taken by  (a) his Department and  (b) the State Veterinary Service in each case; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Since September 2005 approximately 5,000 blood samples, from 435 domestic poultry premises, have been tested. In October, samples taken from a number of geese on a premises in Somerset tested positive for antibodies to H5N2 and H5N7. Movement restrictions were served on the premises and a veterinary inquiry was initiated. Clinical examination revealed that the geese were healthy. Further sampling and laboratory tests did not isolate avian influenza viruses. The presence of infection with avian influenza viruses was ruled out. It is likely that the positive antibody result was due to previous exposure to low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses. Disease was not confirmed on the premises.
	In April 2006, H5N1 avian influenza was confirmed in a sample from the partially decomposed body of a swan found in Cellardyke, Fife, Scotland. Movement restrictions were put in place and a 2,500 sq km wild bird risk area was established. No further cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 were found, restrictions in the wild bird surveillance zone were lifted on 1 May and the wild bird risk area was ended.
	H7N3 low pathogenicity avian influenza was confirmed on three poultry farms near Dereham, Norfolk in late April 2006. A low pathogenic avian influenza restricted zone with a radius of 1km was imposed around the infected premises. Movement restrictions were served on the premises and the three flocks were culled. Surveillance and testing was carried out on all additional premises belonging to the owner of the infected premises.

Bonfires

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance his Department produces for members of the public on dealing with nuisance bonfires; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Most complaints about domestic bonfires are dealt with by local authorities under their statutory nuisance powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
	Guidance for members of the public on what to do if they are suffering from smoke nuisance is available from the DEFRA website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/smoke/index.htrn

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the level of sensitivity of the standard intradermal skin test for bovine tuberculosis.

Ben Bradshaw: The single intradermal comparative cervical test (SICCT) for bovine tuberculosis is an effective test. It is the accepted standard laid down in both national and international legislation for determining the existence of disease in a cattle herd.
	No diagnostic test, including the SICCT, is 100 per cent. accurate. When used as a routine screening test, the SICCT is designed to maximise specificity (identification of uninfected animals) while retaining good sensitivity (identification of infected animals). The specificity for a correctly performed SICCT is above 99 per cent.; its sensitivity is between 77 per cent. and 95 per cent.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the unit cost is for a Bovigam gamma interferon bovine tuberculosis test; and what estimate he has made of the economies of scale which would be achieved through the bulk purchase of the Bovigam test.

Ben Bradshaw: The provisional estimated unit cost for a Bovigam IFNg (gamma interferon) bovine tuberculosis test in 2006-07 is £10.85.
	It is not possible to estimate what economies of scale might be achieved through the bulk purchase of the Bovigam test until new policies for the increased use of the test are finalised.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evidence his Department has assessed for a possible correlation between herd size and  (a) the likelihood of a bovine tuberculosis outbreak and  (b) the length of time that a herd is likely to be under restriction.

Ben Bradshaw: Bovine tuberculosis (TB) has a complex epidemiology which makes it difficult to separate out the effects of individual factors.
	DEFRA has carried out, at the request of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB, two studies (the TB99 Epidemiological Questionnaire and the Case Control Study 2005) to investigate TB risk factors, and to identify those that appear to be key. Initial analyses of TB99 and CCS2005 data show that larger herds are more likely to have a TB breakdown.
	The length of time a herd is under restriction is variable, and it is not known if larger herds remain under restriction longer than smaller herds.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice he has received from the Independent Scientific Group on the reasons for a positive correlation between larger herd sizes and bovine tuberculosis.

Ben Bradshaw: The reason for a positive correlation between larger herd sizes and the occurrence of bovine tuberculosis is that there are more animals at risk of acquiring infection in larger herds.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what advice he has received from the Independent Scientific Group on using gamma interferon to control bovine tuberculosis in cattle;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the merits of using the gamma interferon bovine tuberculosis test more widely.

Ben Bradshaw: The Independent Scientific Group has welcomed DEFRA's intention to increase the use of gamma interferon (IFNg) as an additional testing protocol to control bovine tuberculosis, and has also agreed the priority uses recommended by the Working Group, which was established by DEFRA to prepare and deliver a policy for wider roll out of the test.
	The increased use of IFNg, in parallel with the skin test, has the potential to significantly increase the detection of infected cattle in herds where TB has been confirmed. DEFRA is already using the IFNg test on an ad hoc basis in identified problem TB herds. About 9,000 such tests were undertaken in 2005.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the results were of research project SE3013 into the specificity of gamma interferon; and what implications the results have for controlling bovine tuberculosis.

Ben Bradshaw: It was research project SB4021 (rather than SE3013) that was established to evaluate the specificity of the gamma interferon (IFNg) test. This project confirmed the findings of previous studies by concluding that the commercially available IFNg test had a specificity of between 95-97 per cent.
	Findings from SB4021 supported the view that it would be inappropriate to use IFNg for routine screening purposes because it risks producing too many false positive results. However, there would be value in making greater use of it, as an ancillary test, in a variety of herd breakdown situations. DEFRA is currently using these findings to develop new policies for the increased use of the IFNg test.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department has  (a) undertaken and  (b) commissioned into the costs for a holding facing a bovine tuberculosis breakout.

Ben Bradshaw: In 2004, DEFRA undertook an assessment of the economic impacts of bovine tuberculosis and alternative control policies (SE3112). The survey found a large variation in the costs associated with a breakdown, ranging from £229 per farm to £103,817 per farm, depending on the number of reactors, their valuation and the length of the breakdown.
	Further details, including the final report, are available on the DEFRA website:
	http://www2.defra.gov.uk/research/project_data/More.asp?I=SE31l2&M=KWS&V=SE3112&SCOPE=0
	The Government pay compensation for all cattle compulsorily slaughtered as a result of bovine tuberculosis.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many disputed payments for bovine tuberculosis compensation have been registered since the new system began, broken down by county.

Ben Bradshaw: A small number of farmers have disputed the level of compensation payments offered since the introduction of the table valuation system on 1 February 2006. Some of these have subsequently been resolved in discussion with the State Veterinary Service.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether wildlife unit supervisors employed by his Department in connection with the Randomised Badger Culling Trials have been served with redundancy notices; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 16 May 2006
	The Wildlife Units at Aston Down and Polwhele have not been closed. Fieldwork in support of the trial was completed at the end of March, and staff are working to complete trial data entry and final quality checking of data.
	Decisions about the future of these units will be taken following Ministerial decisions on future policy for the control of bovine tuberculosis in England. No compulsory redundancy notices have been served.
	The wildlife officers who carried out the cage trapping in the Badger Culling Trial have been told that their posts are surplus, and efforts are being made to redeploy these staff. Those indicating a preference to leave have received offers of voluntary redundancy on compulsory terms. This decision was based on a cost- benefit analysis showing that state-operated culling could lead to higher costs and slower delivery compared to other options.
	The remaining posts, including the field supervisors will be retained until the staffing needs to support the new policy are known.

Carcase Rendering

Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what procedure companies wishing to apply for a permit for animal carcase rendering are required to follow on the expiry of existing permits issued by local authorities.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 8 May 2006
	If for any reason an animal rendering plant is without a valid permit issued under the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 or an authorisation issued under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, that plant—like any other any installation subject to the Regulations—is deemed a new plant and must apply afresh to the relevant regulator for a permit.
	The application has to be advertised by the applicant and the regulator has to send copies of the application to statutory consultees. The regulator has to consider representations made as a result of these consultations in determining the application. If the regulator is minded to grant the application, it is required to advertise its draft determination. If any representations are made within 20 days of that advertisement, the regulator has to take them into account in reaching its final decision. The process is fully explained in "Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control—A Practical Guide (Edition 4)", published by my Department and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Climate Change

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what role Local Strategic Partnerships will have in devising climate change strategies;
	(2)  how many  (a) local authorities and  (b) Local Strategic Partnerships have signed the Nottingham declaration on climate change.

Ian Pearson: The Government's new Climate Change Programme, published in March 2006, recognises the important role Sustainable Community Strategies, Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) and Local Area Agreements have to play in tackling climate change. It includes information on the role of the Sustainable Community Strategy framework as a route for local authorities to strengthen the delivery of sustainable development at the local level, including with partners on LSPs. Further information is available at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/climatechange/uk/ukccp/pdf/ukccp06-all.pdf
	So far, over 100 local authorities have signed the Nottingham declaration, each pledging to actively tackle climate change within their area. We do not have information on how many Local Strategic Partnerships are also signatories. The response to the declaration is being coordinated by the Energy Saving Trust, and more information can be found on their website:
	http://www.est.org.uk/housingbuildings/localauthorities/NottinghamDeclaration/

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Minister of State will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 3 March 2006, about riverside meadows near Pixham Ferry, Callow End, on the River Severn.

Barry Gardiner: I apologise for the delay in replying to the hon. Member's letter. A response will be issued shortly.

Cranleigh Brick and Tile

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations the Environment Agency has  (a) made and  (b) received on the Cranleigh Brick and Tile planning application in Waverley; and what assessment the Agency has made of (i) total funding and (ii) works needed to remediate the site.

Ben Bradshaw: The Environment Agency was consulted on the Cranleigh Brick and Tile planning application and replied on 27 March 2006 to the planning authority, Waverley borough council. The Agency did not object to the proposal and gave their conditional approval. The Agency submitted a statement on the objectives and remedial options for the site, including a preliminary appraisal of the works required to remediate it. The Environment Agency has not made an assessment of the total finding of the remediation scheme as this was purely a planning consideration.

Dairy Calves

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to meet representatives of the dairy industry to discuss options other than live export for the marketing of UK dairy-bred calves; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I am meeting representatives of the dairy industry in July to discuss these issues. Officials are also in discussion with the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) and other English farming organisations.
	DEFRA is committed to the welfare of all animals and we are strictly enforcing rules governing the health and welfare of livestock during transport. We also prefer a trade in meat to the long distance transport of live animals for rearing or slaughter, whether in the UK or across borders, and would like to see a lower limit for maximum journey times.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in his Department have been  (a) disciplined and  (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate numbers in each of the last five years.

Barry Gardiner: Since DEFRA came into existence on 9 June 2001 three members of staff have faced formal disciplinary procedures for breaches of IT policy, one in each of the following years, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05. Of these, two officers (2002-03 and 2004-05), were dismissed and the other (2003-04) resigned before formal procedures were completed.
	No officers have faced formal disciplinary procedures in respect of inappropriate use of the telecoms system.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals have been employed in his Department in each of the last five years; what vetting procedures are in place for each category of staff; and whether these include liaison with foreign law enforcement agencies.

Barry Gardiner: The Department does not maintain a central record which allows DEFRA to differentiate between EU and non-EU foreign nationals. Recruitment into DEFRA is carried out in accordance with the civil service nationality rules.
	The need for an individual to undergo national security vetting, and the level of vetting that is appropriate will depend on the particular post they are going to fill. Where necessary, this will include a check of time spent overseas.
	The vetting procedures for DEFRA follow Cabinet Office guidelines with no distinction made between the categories of staff identified in the question.

Emissions Trading

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on the auctioning of carbon emission permits under Phase II of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The Government are currently consulting on the proposal to auction (between 2 and 10 per cent. of the total amount of allowances, as part of the consultation on the draft plan for the second phase of the Scheme (2008-20l2). We have proposed that these allowances should be deducted from the allocation to the Electricity Supply Industry sector. The consultation closes on 23 May 2006. A final decision on the use of auctioning in the Phase II plan will be taken alongside the final decision on the total quantity of allowances for Phase II.

Emissions Trading

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the European Commission regarding the deadline for submitting the UK National Allocation Plan for Phase II of the Emissions Trading Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The EU Emissions Trading Scheme Directive states that the Phase II National Allocation Plan (NAP) should be submitted to the Commission by 30 June 2006 and the final allocation decision by 31 December 2006.
	I wrote to Commissioner Dimas last week and am meeting him on 22 May 2006 for the first time since taking office. I expect to cover a number of issues. My officials have already had discussions with their counterparts at the Commission regarding the deadline.
	This is a challenging deadline and in order to learn lessons from Phase I and to expand the Scheme to cover the activities set out in the revised Commission Guidance, the UK Government recognise that it will not be possible to collect and process the data in time to meet the first of these deadlines. The Government are however aiming to submit its NAP as soon as possible after the June deadline and to submit our final allocation decision by 31 December 2006.

Environment Agency

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on Environment Agency special sites.

Ben Bradshaw: To help address the legacy of land contamination, the Government brought into force part IIA ("contaminated land") of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This places local authorities under a statutory duty to inspect their areas to identify contaminated land as defined in the Act, and to secure its remediation, in accordance with the detailed provisions of the regime. They are required to take a strategic and prioritised approach to the duty of inspection. A local authority must designate contaminated land as a "special site" if it meets specific legal definitions. Where a local authority designates a site as a special site, the Environment Agency will become the enforcing authority for the site. In broad terms, the regime addresses unacceptable risk arising from land contamination in situations where other statutory regimes cannot be applied.
	As of 1 May 2006, 23 special sites in England had been designated by local authorities.

Environmental Liability Directive

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which UK Biodiversity Action Plan species do not fall within the scope of the Environmental Liability Directive and would not be protected under UK implementing laws unless its scope were to be extended.

Barry Gardiner: UK Biodiversity Action Plan species that are not subject to protection under existing EU Directives (Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds; Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora) would not be covered by UK legislation implementing the Environmental Liability Directive, unless the Government exercised the discretion provided in that directive.
	I shall write to my hon. Friend with the detailed information on those species.

Farming (Bassetlaw)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) owner and  (b) tenant farmers there were in Bassetlaw in 2005.

Barry Gardiner: Numbers of farmers and holdings for Bassetlaw constituency at June 2005 are as follows:
	
		
			   Holdings  Farmers 
			  (a) Wholly owned holdings 234 250 
			  (b) Wholly rented holdings 59 82 
			 Total(1) 469 555 
			 (1 )Including mixed tenure and seasonally rented holdings.   Note:  Farmers includes full and part-time farmers, partners, directors and spouses (if working on the holding.)   Source:  June Agricultural Survey

Farming (Bassetlaw)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many UK citizens work in the agriculture sector in Bassetlaw.

Barry Gardiner: Nationality data is not collected by the June Agricultural Survey. Total labour force on agricultural and horticultural holdings in Bassetlaw constituency was 1,198 in June 2005.
	 Source: June Agricultural Survey.

Fisheries

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 February 2006,  Official Report, column 2041, on fisheries, if he will list the  (a) countries and  (b) authorities which record estimates of discards; and what those known figures are for the last available year.

Ben Bradshaw: Since 2002 all EU countries have been required to collect data on discarding under Council Regulation 1543/2000 but the information is not yet compiled systematically. Last year, the European Commission's Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) requested data on discards from the North Sea and Skaggerak, Kattegat, Eastern and Western Baltic, West of Scotland, Irish and Celtic Seas. The UK, Germany, Sweden, Latvia, Denmark and the Netherlands provided data. UK data for Northern Ireland vessels were not available.
	From the available data, STECF produced estimates of total discards as follows:
	
		
			  Estimates of discards in 2004 (tonnes) 
			   North Sea/Skaggerak  West of Scotland 
			 Cod 7,058 90 
			 Haddock 16,845 4,944 
			 Whiting 45,239 2,617 
			 Plaice 62,089 0 
			 Sole 2,683 0 
			 Nephrops No estimate No estimate 
			 Saithe 9,001 0 
		
	
	Data on discarding remain scarce and these estimates should be treated with caution.
	STECF has begun work to develop a "Discards Atlas"—a compendium of available information from member states on discards as a resource for fisheries science. Member states will be asked to provide data by the end of this year and after database creation, quality checking, compilation, mapping etc. it is hoped that the atlas will be available in 2007-08.

Gamebirds

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) pheasants,  (b) partridges and  (c) ducks are being kept for (i) meat production, (ii) showing, (iii) breeding for shooting, (iv) rearing for shooting, (v) releasing for shooting and (vi) other purposes at premises listed in the Great Britain Poultry Register; and how many such premises there are, broken down by species kept.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Duck  Pheasant  Partridge 
			  Production type  Bird  Premise  Bird  Premise  Bird  Premise 
			 Reared for meat 4,137,400 557 111,088 26 82,650 11 
			 Breeding for meat 129,333 183 4,162 23 47,142 9 
			 Showing 26,562 466 7,390 86 5,216 18 
			 Breeding for shooting 90,852 132 3,075,707 765 1,287,211 351 
			 Rearing for shooting 813,220 627 21,073,754 2,755 8,047,225 1,500 
			 Releasing for shooting 532,953 1,318 1,4871,092 6,651 4,789,320 2,827 
			 Egg layers 86,281 1,697 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Breeding for egg laying 232,087 475 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Other production type 395,080 2,205 685,449 534 172,063 166 
			 Total 6,443,768 7,660 39,828,642 10,840 14,430,827 4,882 
		
	
	This information was produced using data from the Great Britain Poultry Register taken on 12 May 2006. All data are subject to change.
	The GB Poultry Register allows people to register themselves as a commercial hatchery without necessarily indicating which species they hatch, hence the unknown category. It is also possible that premises may have registered themselves as having an incubator capacity but have not registered that they use this for commercial purposes.
	The GB Poultry Register captures data under the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (No. 2) Regulations 2005. Registration is mandatory for premises with 50 or more birds kept for commercial purposes. In addition, the register also includes voluntary registrations for non-commercial premises and those where fewer than 50 poultry are kept.
	The completeness of the data is dependant on the level of compliance with the legislation as specified above. Owners are required to de-register if they no longer keep poultry.

Gamebirds

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many premises listed in the Great Britain Poultry Register in respect of the keeping of  (a) pheasants and  (b) partridges receive (i) live birds and (ii) eggs from outside Great Britain.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Species  Number of premises 
			 Pheasants 191 
			 Partridges 131 
			 Both 118 
		
	
	This information was produced using data from the Great Britain Poultry Register taken on 12 May 2006. All data are subject to change.
	The Poultry Register combines the import of birds and eggs from outside GB into one single question.
	The GB Poultry Register captures data under the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (No. 2) Regulations 2005. Registration is mandatory for premises with 50 or more birds kept for commercial purposes. In addition, the register also includes voluntary registrations for non-commercial premises and those where fewer than 50 poultry are kept.
	The completeness of the data is dependant on the level of compliance with the legislation as specified above. Owners are required to de-register if they no longer keep poultry.

Gamebirds

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many premises listed in the Great Britain Poultry Register in respect of the keeping of  (a) pheasants and  (b) partridges have a pond, lake or open reservoir within the boundary of the premises or next to the premises.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Species  Number 
			 Pheasants(1) 6,099 
			 Partridges(2) 2,777 
			 Both 2,660 
			 Total 11,536 
			 (1) No partridges.  (2) No pheasants. 
		
	
	This information was produced using data from the Great Britain Poultry Register taken on 12 May 2006. All data are subject to change.
	The GB Poultry Register captures data under the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (No. 2) Regulations 2005. Registration is mandatory for premises with 50 or more birds kept for commercial purposes. In addition, the register also includes voluntary registrations for non-commercial premises and those where fewer than 50 poultry are kept.
	The completeness of the data is dependant on the level of compliance with the legislation as specified above. Owners are required to de-register if they no longer keep poultry.

Greenhouse Gases

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the greenhouse gas emissions are in carbon equivalent per kilometre of the most commonly used aircraft in the United Kingdom; what the carbon equivalent emissions per passenger kilometre would be in each case if the aircraft were fully loaded at its normal passenger capacity.

Ian Pearson: The Government are currently in discussion with our contractors to determine whether UK specific aircraft emissions data can be generated. The Department will communicate this information if it becomes available in due course.
	The most recent related figures on aircraft emissions come from the DEFRA Guidelines for Reporting on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, published in July 2005. This is available at:
	http://defraweb/environment/business/envrp/gas/envrpgas-annexes.pdf
	These show that, averaged out, emissions of CO2 per passenger kilometre are 0.11 kg on a typical long haul flight. On a short haul flight the figure is 0.15 kg. Assumptions for a long haul flight refer to a 5,000 km journey on a typical 450-seat capacity aircraft, with a 70 per cent. load factor. Assumptions for a short haul flight refer to a 500 km journey on a typical 128-seat capacity aircraft, with a 65 per cent. load factor.

Harmful Gas Emissions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the percentage change was in  (a) carbon dioxide and  (b) other harmful gases arising from energy efficiency measures taken in each of the last 30 years; and what the planned reduction in harmful gas emission through energy efficiency measures is over the next 10 years.

Ian Pearson: In relation to carbon dioxide, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 8 February 2006,  Official Report, column 1282W. This refers to an exercise carried out for the household sector, depicting carbon changed for the period 1970 to 2001. Copies of this report are held in the Library.
	With reference to other harmful gases, emissions of air pollutants are estimated in the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory. These data are available from the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory website:
	http://www.naei.org.uk./
	Future targets for energy efficiency are focused on 2010. The 2006 UK Climate Change Programme sets out how energy efficiency will save 10.2 million tonnes of carbon (MtC) per year by that date, with savings split between the business sector (5.1 MtC), the household sector (4.8MtC), and the public sector (0.3MtC).
	In addition, the 2004 Energy Efficiency Action Plan includes a residential energy efficiency aim (as required by the Sustainable Energy Act 2003) to save 3.5 MtC from homes in England by 2010 through energy efficiency measures.

Home Working

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in his Department have been enabled to work from home in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The Department currently has 2,000 registered users for dial-up network access and 1,000 registered users for network access via broadband. Of these, about 300 are registered for both, so the total is about 2,700 staff who are currently enabled to work from home.
	We do not have historical data for previous years, nor are specific data held on the precise extent of home working.

Migrant Labour (Farms)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the number of farmers whose profitability is dependent on migrant labour.

Barry Gardiner: The Government do recognise that migrant workers have a role to play in meeting the agricultural sector's need for labour, and temporary and seasonal labour in particular. The current Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme has existed to meet this need. However, the scheme is being phased out in 2010 given the availability of labour from the new member states of the EU.
	Research commissioned by the Home Office into the use by employers of migrant labour(1) indicates that migrant workers have become an important source of labour, particularly in agriculture and the hospitality sector. Some of the employers interviewed as part of this research said that their businesses would suffer or could not survive without migrant labour.
	The summary report of this research can be viewed on the Home Office's website at the following address: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/rdsolr0306.pdf
	(1) Employers Use of Migrant Labour, Institute for Employment Studies—March 2006.

Migrant Labour (Farms)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings his Department has had in the last three years in which he or his predecessors discussed with the National Farmers' Union  (a) extending and  (b) speeding up the process for migrant work permits.

Barry Gardiner: DEFRA Ministers have not specifically discussed extending and speeding up the process for work permits for migrant workers at any of their meetings with the NFU in the past three years.
	However, Ministers have attended meetings with the NFU and other stakeholder organisations in recent years at which the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) was discussed. SAWS is a long-standing quota-based scheme which operates outside the normal work permit rules. The scheme allows students from non-EU countries to take up agricultural work in the UK without the need to obtain a work permit for periods of up to six months.

Migrant Labour (Farms)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the contribution of migrant workers to the rural economy in 2005.

Barry Gardiner: My Department does not hold this information.
	Research commissioned by the Home Office into the use of migrant labour(1) by employers indicates that migrant workers have become an important source of labour, particularly in agriculture and the hospitality sector. This is supported by research commissioned by DEFRA in 2005 to inform the implementation of the Gangmasters (Licensing Act) 2004(2). This research suggests that in the food manufacturing industry, which represents an important part of the rural economy, some 90 per cent. of agency workers are migrants.
	In addition a recent study published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation(3) shows that employers are successfully recruiting migrant workers to take up jobs which traditionally have been hard to fill in the agriculture, construction and hospitality industries. Employers said that they value migrant workers for their reliability and strong work ethic. There is much anecdotal evidence from SAWS (seasonal agricultural workers) operators that migrant workers have a positive effect on the local economy in their use of local services such as shops, banks, etc.
	(1) Employers Use of Migrant Labour, Institute for Employment Studies—March 2006.
	(2) Secondary Processing in Food Manufacture and Use of Gang Labour, Precision Prospecting—2005.
	(3) Fair enough? Central and East European migrants in low-wage employment in the UK, Joseph Rowntree Foundation—May 2005.

Milk Quotas

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether milk quotas may be traded between member states of the European Union.

Ben Bradshaw: Milk quotas cannot be sold or leased between member states. Council Regulation 1788/2003 specifies total quota levels for each member state. Our view is that any attempt to transfer quota to another member state would be contrary to that legislation. In recent discussions the EU Commission confirmed it shared our view.

Ministerial Flights

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the flights taken by Ministers in his Department since 2001; and what measures to offset the carbon emissions were taken for each flight.

Ian Pearson: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library. Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500. Copies of the lists are available in the Library. Information for 2005-06 is currently being compiled and will be published when it is ready.
	All central Government ministerial and official air travel is being offset from 1 April 2006. Departmental aviation emissions are calculated on an annual basis and subsequently offset through payments to a central fund. The fund purchases Certified Emissions Reductions credits from energy efficiency and renewable energy projects with high sustainable development benefits, located in developing countries. In addition, offsetting the flights of DEFRA Ministers have been backdated to 1 April 2005.
	Other detailed information on flights could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for Ministers of State in his Department on foreign visits in each of the last three years.

Barry Gardiner: All ministerial travel, including overnight accommodation, complies with the terms of the 'Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers'. When travelling on official business Ministers make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. DEFRA's financial records for ministerial travel do not separate out overnight accommodation and this information could be generated only at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions Ministers of State in his Department stayed overnight in  (a) five star,  (b) four star and  (c) three star hotels on foreign visits in each of the last three years.

Barry Gardiner: All ministerial travel, including overnight accommodation, complies with the terms of the 'Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers'. When travelling on official business Ministers make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. DEFRA's financial records for ministerial travel do not include details of the rating of hotels at which Ministers stayed on foreign visits and this information could be generated only at disproportionate cost.

Nappies

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what progress has been made towards the Waste and Resources Action Programme Real Nappy Campaign's target of diverting 35,000 tonnes of waste from landfill by April 2006;
	(2)  what plans he has to establish further targets for the Waste and Resources Action Programme Real Nappy Campaign.

Ben Bradshaw: The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) reports annually on its overall progress in meeting targets, including work under the Real Nappy Programme. WRAP's latest annual achievements report will be published towards the end of July.
	At the start of the programme, 91 per cent. of expectant parents said they intended to use disposable nappies. Work done for the Environment Agency suggested the figure could be as high as 94 per cent. WRAP will survey parents again at the end of the programme to establish the level of change in intended behaviour. An estimate of the level of diversion will also be made and published at that time, taking account of the survey and other quantitative evidence.
	There are no further plans to establish targets. The Real Nappy Campaign was funded for three years from April 2003 to March 2006, although some funding has been provided for 2006-07 to meet existing commitments.

Nappies

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department allocated to Real Nappy Week 2006; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the event.

Ben Bradshaw: Real Nappy Week is supported by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) as part of their Real Nappy Initiative and receives funding from DEFRA and the Scottish Executive. The budget for all aspects of the week's events was £250,000.
	This year marked the 10(th )Anniversary of Real Nappy Week. More than 500 events were planned throughout the UK and a record number of supporters signed up to back the event. This included over 90 per cent. of all UK local authorities and 155 MPs, MSPs, MEPs and Welsh AMs.
	WRAP will provide a full report on Real Nappy Week once all the information has been collated. This is expected in June.

Nappies

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department's review of England's Waste Strategy will address the promotion of reusable nappies.

Ben Bradshaw: The review of England's Waste Strategy will discuss a range of waste minimisation and prevention measures. It is too early to state whether re-usable nappies will specifically be addressed.

North Sea Ministerial Meeting

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which Ministers were present for each day of the North Sea Ministerial Meeting on the Environmental Impacts of Shipping and Fisheries in Gothenburg, Sweden on 4 and 5 May; what discussions his Department has had with the Scottish Executive on the meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 18 May 2006
	The list of attendees at the North Sea Ministerial Meeting on the Environmental Impacts of Shipping and Fisheries held in Gothenburg, Sweden on 4 and 5 May can be found at http://www.seas-at-risk.org/pdfs/SAR_GothenburgPressRelease_03.pdf

Nuclear Power

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the meetings  (a) he and  (b) Ministers in his Department have had with (i) representatives of and (ii) advisers to the nuclear power industry in each of the last two years; who he met on each occasion; and what the purpose was of each meeting.

David Miliband: The Secretary of State has had no such meetings. Departmental records also show no such meetings.

Oak Trees

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to promote the planting of oak trees.

Barry Gardiner: In the Action Plan for our Statement of Policy for England's Ancient and Native Woodland we promote woodland creation which extends, buffers and links ancient woodland through both the Forestry Commission's English Woodland Grant Scheme and DEFRA's Environmental Stewardship grants. In order to respect the biodiversity values of ancient woodland much of this type of woodland creation will involve the use of native species including a significant proportion of oak.
	Most new woodland planting and restocking that is carried out by private landowners is grant aided by the Forestry Commission. The incentives available favour the planting of native broadleaves and a large proportion of these will be oak.
	In England the Forestry Commission has embarked on a programme to restore 15,000 hectares of ancient semi-natural woodland on the public forest estate by 2020 and this will include planting and regenerating native tree species, including oak. In addition most new planting by the Commission will be with native broadleaves and, where site conditions are suitable, oak will be well represented in these new woodlands.

Oak Trees

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of mature oak trees in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Barry Gardiner: A national woodland survey is carried out by the Forestry Commission at intervals of between 15 and 20 years. The most recent report for England was published in 2001 and for Wales in 2002.
	The survey reports include estimates of:  (a) the area of oak woodland;  (b) individual oak trees; and  (c) numbers of oak trees growing in small groups or narrow linear features.
	An estimate of the planting year is included in the reports where woodland is, or could become, capable of producing wood of a size and quality suitable for sawlogs (High Forest Category 1).
	This information for England and Wales is reproduced in the following tables:
	
		
			  All oak woodland and trees (i.e. groups a-c above)  
			  England  
			 Oak woodland over 2.0 hectares in size 147,847 hectares 
			 Oak woodland between 0.1 hectare and 2.0 hectares 10,818 hectares 
			 Oak trees outside woodland 6,872,800 trees 
			   
			  Wales  
			 Oak woodland over 2.0 hectares in size 38,092 hectares 
			 Oak woodland between 0.1 hectare and 2.0 hectares 4,826 hectares 
			 Oak trees outside woodland 1,569,100 trees 
		
	
	
		
			  Planting year class for oak (i.e. High Forest Category 1) 
			Hectares 
			  Planting year  England  Wales 
			 1991-98 5,208 394 
			 1981-90 2,832 336 
			 1971-80 2,482 27 
			 1961-70 3,221 266 
			 1951-61 7,702 430 
			 1941-50 8,839 1,411 
			 1931-40 7,450 2,631 
			 1921-30 12,922 1,298 
			 1911-20 16,561 1,564 
			 1901-10 8,047 170 
			 1861-1900 36,975 2675 
			 Pre1861 12,997 197 
			 Total 125,236 11,399

Private Office Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of his private office staff is  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) disabled.

Barry Gardiner: For all ministerial private offices in DEFRA the proportions are:
	 (a) 23 per cent.
	 (b) 77 per cent. and
	 (c) 0 per cent.

Recruitment

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies spent on recruitment, search and selection agencies in each of the last five years.

Barry Gardiner: This information is not held centrally within the Department, and therefore could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

Recycling

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the average cost per tonne of recycling waste material in  (a) Swindon and  (b) England in each of the last three years.

Ben Bradshaw: DEFRA does not gather information on individual recycling schemes or the costs of recycling waste material. These will vary depending on a number of factors, including the collection method used by a local authority, the materials collected and the market for recycled materials.

Recycling

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the schemes used by local authorities which have achieved the highest recycling rates for household waste.

Ben Bradshaw: Government sets statutory recycling and composting targets for all waste collection authorities in England. Each individual authority is free to choose its own method of collection (i.e. the type of recycling scheme). However, DEFRA does not collect this information from local authorities.
	The top 10 performing local authorities for household recycling and composting in 2004-05 used a range of DEFRA-funded and supported schemes, including the National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund (NWMRF), the Local Authority Support Unit's Direct Consultancy Support Programme (LASU DCS), the Household Incentives Scheme, New Technologies Supporter Programme and the Waste Performance and Efficiency Grant (WPEG). In addition, the Waste and Resources Action Programme's (WRAP) ROTATE service is resourced by DEFRA to provide impartial support to authorities on kerbside collection of recyclables.
	The following table provides a breakdown of schemes used:
	
		
			  Region  Local authority  DEFRA-funded schemes used 
			 Eastern St. Edmundsbury NWMRF, WRAP, LASU DCS, Household Incentives, WPEG 
			 Eastern Forest Heath NWMRF, WRAP, LASU DCS, Household Incentives, WPEG 
			 Eastern South Cambridgeshire NWMRF, WRAP, LASU DCS, New Technologies Supporter Programme, WPEG, Household Incentives 
			 West Midlands Lichfield NWMRF, WRAP, LASU DCS, WPEG 
			 East Midlands Harborough NWMRF, LASU DCS, WPEG, Household Incentives, New Technologies Supporter Programme 
			 East Midlands Rushcliffe NWMRF, Household Incentives, WPEG 
			 East Midlands Daventry NWMRF, WRAP, LASU DCS, WPEG 
			 South East Cherwell NWMRF, WRAP, LASU DCS, New Technologies Supporter Programme, WPEG 
			 North West Vale Royal LASU DCS, NWMRF, WRAP, Household Incentives, WPEG 
			 East Midlands North Kesteven LASU DCS, WPEG

Reprocessed Fuel Oil

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department will take steps to enable the classification of reprocessed fuel oil as a product rather than waste.

Ben Bradshaw: Whether or not a substance is "waste" within the meaning of Article 1(a) of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) (2006/12/EC) is a matter that must be determined on the facts of the case and the interpretation of the law is a matter for the courts. It is not a function of the Government to classify or to declassify any particular substance as waste or non-waste.
	The Environment Agency is designated as a "competent authority" for the purpose of implementing the WFD in England and Wales and is required to give effect to the directive's definition of waste, as interpreted by the European Court of Justice and our national courts.
	Guidance available on the Department's website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/airquality/lapc/aqnotes/pdf/aqi04-06.pdf confirms that, on the facts of the case and taking account of case law by the courts, the Environment Agency's view is that recovered fuel oil (RFO) has not been fully recovered within the meaning of the WFD and does not cease to be waste until used as a means to generate energy.
	Nevertheless, organisations are free to present to the Environment Agency any significant, new information about RFO which would satisfy the Agency that it falls within the very limited circumstances in which waste may cease to be waste before being used as fuel.

Single Farm Payments

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers in Milton Keynes  (a) have been and  (b) remain to be paid their single farm payment.

Barry Gardiner: The Rural Payments Agency does not have the data available on a regional basis, as the scheme is not administered in this way.

Stewardship

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints regarding the entry level stewardship scheme have been received, broken down by  (a) subject of complaint and  (b) region.

Barry Gardiner: The number of complaints received by the Rural Development Service regarding the Entry Level Stewardship Scheme, according to records up to 1 April 2006, is as follows:
	
		
			  Region  Rural land register or mapping delays  ELS application delays  Policy  Payment delays 
			 East 35 17 1 21 
			 East Midlands 35 0 1 3 
			 North East 1 1 0 1 
			 North West 0 0 0 0 
			 South East 5 0 6 0 
			 South West 1 1 0 0 
			 West Midlands 2 0 1 5 
			 Yorks and the Humber 2 1 0 3 
			 HQ/SDID 8 2 8 2 
			 Total 89 22 17 35 
		
	
	It is important to note that there is an overlap between the first two categories of complaint, with the first often leading to the second. Where mapping delays have been specified, the complaint has been allocated to that column. Otherwise application delays have been allocated to column 2. No individual complaint has been recorded more than once.
	The relatively high figures under the rural land register heading for Eastern and East Midlands regions reflect a higher degree of mapping issues associated with larger farms in the East of England.

Stewardship

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what proportion of farmers have been paid  (a) on time and  (b) late under the entry level stewardship scheme in each month for which records are available.

Barry Gardiner: At 11 May 2006 progress with payments under entry level stewardship was as follows:
	
		
			Payments made  Not selected for payment 
			   Payments due  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 February 6,200 5,824 93.9 376 6.1 
			 March 1,546 1,414 91.5 132 8.5 
			 April 1,351 1,205 89.2 146 10.8 
		
	
	Those not selected for payment are for a variety of reasons including cases where agreements require amendment prior to payment or where warnings need to be resolved.

Stewardship

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers have signed up for the entry level stewardship scheme.

Barry Gardiner: As of 15 May 2006 some 19,784 farmers and land managers had entered into entry level stewardship agreements. Of these, 694 are taking part in the organic strand of the scheme.

Stewardship

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much and what proportion of the budget allocated for farm payments has been disbursed under the entry level stewardship scheme.

Barry Gardiner: At 11 May 2006 the value of payments made under entry level stewardship was some £15.5 million. This represents 28 per cent. of the budget available for entry level stewardship for the year 2006-07. In 2006-07, over £55 million has been allocated to ELS, including the organic ELS, to cover the cost of signed agreements that will be accounted for in this financial year.

Sugar Beet

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will re-assess agreements reached by his predecessor on the price of sugar beet to enable sugar beet farmers to develop a sustainable sector.

Ben Bradshaw: Under the European Union's common agricultural policy, minimum prices paid to beet growers are determined by qualified majority decision of the Council of Ministers. Agreement on prices in the 2006 to 2010 period was a key element in the sugar reform package negotiated under the UK presidency in November 2005 and formally adopted in February this year. An unreformed sugar sector would have been completely unsustainable, and the measures due to come into effect from 1 July will provide a viable basis for efficient industries in the future.

Tallow

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the economic impact of constraints on the use of tallow for fuel.

Ian Pearson: There may be several constraints on the use of tallow as fuel, such as its availability and the availability of suitable plant or equipment in which to burn it.
	As the law currently stands, the burning of waste tallow is also subject to the Waste Incineration Directive (2000/76/EC) which imposes strict operating and monitoring conditions on any plant incinerating or co-incinerating waste. My Department consulted in 2002 on draft legislation to transpose those requirements. The consultation paper contains a regulatory impact assessment of the implementation of those requirements and is available on the DEFRA website:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consult/wasteincin/index.htm

Upland Areas

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding was made available by English Nature through management agreements to  (a) farmers and  (b) commoners to assist in the management of upland areas and commons in each year since 2001.

Barry Gardiner: English Nature has provided funding for land managers in the uplands, primarily, through the Wildlife Enhancement Scheme. In addition, additional funds were provided through the Sheep and Wildlife Enhancement Scheme. This was a special two-year project that commenced in 2004, and targeted the particular problems in the uplands arising from overgrazing by sheep.
	
		
			   Total amount (£) 
			  Financial year  Upland  Upland commons 
			 2001-02 1,955,000 669,000 
			 2002-03 2,368,000 909,000 
			 2003-04 4,635,000 2,306,000 
			 2004-05 5,149,000 3,126,000 
			 2005-06 3,254,000 1,312,000 
		
	
	The figures for upland commons are a subset of the figures for the uplands.

Water Metering

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of allowing water companies discretion in selecting households for water metering.

Ian Pearson: The Government examined the effects of metering in its review of water charging in 1997-99. The findings informed the development of the Water Industry Act 1999, which provides domestic customers with the option of a measured water bill or to remain on an unmeasured charging basis for water used only for normal household purposes in their present home.
	DEFRA is currently leading work on metering in the context of the Water Saving Group. This involves targeted action to increase metering in water stressed areas, and to improve the understanding and delivery of metering generally. As part of this work, DEFRA is assessing how the balance between company discretion and customer choice should be struck.

White Papers

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many White Papers were published by his Department in 2005; how many included an animal health or welfare component; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: DEFRA published eight White Papers within the Command Papers series in 2005. The following is a list of these:
	Draft Bill—Modernising Rural Delivery;
	New UK Sustainable Development;
	Departmental Report;
	Government Rule of Strategy and draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill;
	Government Response to the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) Inquiry to the International Challenge to Climate Change;
	Government Response to EFRA Report on Waste Policy and the Landfill Directive;
	Autumn Performance Report;
	Annual Review: Controls on Imports of Animal Products: April 2004—March 2005 (this Command Paper included an animal health or welfare component).

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Postal Services

Andrew Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what recent assessment he has made of the  (a) daily and  (b) annual volume of hon. Members' post dispatched from the House; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The volume of mail dispatched from the House daily or annually is not recorded as there is no business need to do so. The best available estimate is that around five van loads of mail a day are dispatched from the House, suggesting around 18,000 items a working day.

Postal Services

Andrew Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 10 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 291-92W, on House mail services, what percentage reduction on the normal price of first and second class postage is given by the Royal Mail for Parliament's mail service; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: No percentage reduction is offered to commercial customers by Royal Mail using standard tariff letters. Reductions are available only if bulk posting arrangements are followed or if mail is meter franked.

Postal Services

Andrew Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the answer of 10 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 291-92W, on House mail services, if the Commission will consider negotiating with Royal Mail a bulk purchase or business mail discount for hon. Members' post dispatched from the House, and for use by hon. Members who are prepared to bring their constituency post to the House for posting; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: In order for House mail to qualify for bulk purchase or business mail discounts, the mail dispatch would at a minimum have to be consolidated and sorted into postcoded bundles; carry typed addresses only; be fully postcoded; have all letters, flats and packages separated and consolidated into postcode area; and be posted before 3 pm each day, rather than the current cut-off of 7 pm each day. These conditions are incompatible with the working practices of individual Members.

Stationery Supplies

Andrew Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 10 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 291-92W, on stationery supplies, if the Commission will make arrangements for hon. Members to obtain stationery of a less high quality and at a lower price than that presently provided; if the Commission will consider negotiating a stationery contract which does not rely on next day delivery and encourages hon. Members to order stationery well in advance but which maintains emergency supply arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The House moved to next day delivery of stationery in 1997 to reduce the requirement for individual stockholding that led to over ordering, wastage and eventually obsolete stationery. This is a service which many Members and their staff welcome, particularly those with constituency offices in remote locations.
	The present stationery range includes environmentally friendly paper in particular sizes and weights so that it can be used in a range of printers. The addition of lower quality paper would be unlikely to result in cost savings, given the consequent reduction in the volume of each type of paper ordered.

Vote Office Print Unit

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will list the parliamentary publications produced by the Vote Office Print Unit in each of the last six months for which information is available; what his estimate is of the savings to the House by the use of the Vote Office Print Unit during this period to produce publications previously printed by other sources; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: Parliamentary publications in all the following categories were produced or reprinted by the Print Services Unit in each of the last six months: House of Commons and House of Lords Bills and Explanatory Notes; House of Commons and House of Lords Debates; Standing Committee Debates ('Brown Covers'); House of Commons Papers; Select Committee transcripts of evidence. In total 1,491 titles were printed and 27,309 copies produced. The estimated savings by the use of the Print Services Unit during this period to print items previously printed by other sources is £103,650.

Vote Office Print Unit

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff are employed by the Vote Office Print Unit, broken down by grade; if the Commission will increase the number of staff in the Unit; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 12 July 2005,  Official Report, column 859W. There are no plans to increase the number of staff in the Unit.

Vote Office Print Unit

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the average printing costs of the Vote Bundle per printed page were during the 2005-06 financial year; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The average printing costs of the Vote Bundle per originated printed page during financial year 2005-06 were £69.52. This represents a 6 per cent. reduction from the costs for financial year 2004-05, which were supplied to the hon. Member in the written answer I gave him on 12 July 2005,  Official Report, column 859W.

PRIME MINISTER

Connexions

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received during each of the last six months from members of the public about the Connexions programme; how many  (a) supported and  (b) opposed the programme; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: Since December 2005, my Office has received approximately 6,000 campaign cards on Disconnect Connexions.

Gleneagles Action Plan

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the progress of the Gleneagles Plan of Action.

Tony Blair: Implementation of the Gleneagles Plan of Action is being overseen by the Gleneagles Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development. The second ministerial meeting of the Dialogue, involving 20 countries with significant energy needs, will be held in Mexico in October. This will further explore the key themes of development and transfer of technology, market mechanisms and economics of climate change and adaptation identified at the first ministerial meeting in London last November. The Gleneagles Dialogue will report back to G8 leaders under Japan's Chairmanship of the G8 in 2008.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the Gleneagles Implementation Plan for Africa, which is updated monthly and placed in the Libraries of the Houses.

Government Bills

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what criteria are used by him in selecting Government Bills that he will not co-sponsor; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 July 2005,  Official Report, column 643W.

Leased Land

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what  (a) land and  (b) property his Department (i) leases and (ii) leased in (A) 1979, (B) 1983, (C) 1987, (D) 1992 and (E) 1997 in (1) the Southend, West constituency, (2) Essex, (3) Hertfordshire and (4) the Metropolitan Police area of London.

Tony Blair: For these purposes my office forms part of the Cabinet Office. I have therefore asked my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Hilary Armstrong) to reply. A copy of the reply will be placed in the Library of the House.

Ministerial Residences

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what the  (a) name and  (b) location is of each official ministerial residence which is in his gift; which official residences were in the gift of the Prime Minister in (i) 1976, (ii) 1978, (iii) 1979, (iv) 1983, (v) 1987, (vi) 1992 and (vii) each year between 1993 and 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 March 1998,  Official Report, columns 19-20W and on 17 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 984-86W.

Ministerial Residences

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister to which Ministers the official residences in his gift are allocated; to which Ministers they were allocated in January 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Members for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) and Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 2 December 2005,  Official Report, column 816W and the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) on 16 March 2006,  Official Report, column 2394W.

Private Office Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister how much has been paid in  (a) salary,  (b) travelling expenses,  (c) subsistence allowance and  (d) removal expenses to special advisers in his Office in each of the last five years.

Tony Blair: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers, and the number in each pay band. For information relating to the last financial year I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 21 July 2005,  Official Report, columns 158-61WS. Information on special advisers for this financial year is currently being collected and will be published in the normal way when it is ready.
	Further information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
	All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

Security Staff

Ian Gibson: To ask the Prime Minister which Government Department or Agency employs security staff who protect Ministers; how many are employed; what the cost was in 2005-06; and what criteria are used to decide  (a) which hon. Members are given protection and  (b) for how long protection is provided after the individual leaves office.

Tony Blair: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on security matters.

West Papua

Andrew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister whether during his visit to Jakarta he discussed with the President of Indonesia the situation in West Papua.

Tony Blair: In the joint statement following my meeting with President Yudhoyono on 30 March 2006 I expressed the UK's support for dialogue to settle internal differences on Papua. I also refer my right hon. Friend to the Press Conference I held with President Yudhoyono. A transcript of this is available on the Number 10 website.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will make a statement on the operation of the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate Act 2000; and what recent representations he has received about the operation of this Act.

Mike O'Brien: None. The Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate Act 2000 came into effect on 1 October 2000 and established the remit for HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate which is an independent statutory body reporting to the Attorney- General. The legislation has operated satisfactorily. However, the Police and Justice Bill presently being considered by Parliament transfers the functions of the Inspectorate to a Justice, Community Safety and Custody Inspectorate in line with Government policy for rationalising the inspection arrangements of public services.

Crown Prosecution Service

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Solicitor-General what representations he has received regarding the use of counsellor's notes by the Crown Prosecution Service in childhood sexual abuse cases.

Mike O'Brien: I have not received any representations on this issue.
	Where counselling is received, crown prosecutors should review any notes made as these may contain information that may impact upon the decision to prosecute. Wherever possible, prosecutors will safeguard the confidentiality of counselling sessions. However, the notes may contain a statement made by the complainant that would be valuable evidence of the first complaint of the abuse. Alternatively, the notes might contain information that must be disclosed to the defence because it either undermines the prosecution case or assists the case for the defence.
	The Crown Prosecution Service, Home Office and the Department of Health have jointly issued two guidance booklets, which aim to assist therapists, including counsellors, in making decisions about therapeutic help for witnesses prior to a criminal trial. These appear at: http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/docs/pretria1adult.pdf; http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/docs/therapychild.pdf.

Portland PR

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Solicitor-General what meetings officials in the Law Officers' Departments have had with representatives of the public relations company Portland PR; what contracts Portland PR has with his Department and agencies for which he has responsibility; and what the nature of the contract is in each case.

Mike O'Brien: The Departments for which I am responsible do not maintain central lists of such meetings. Civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and business delivery. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the civil service code and guidance to civil servants on contacts with lobbyists and people outside Government.
	I am unaware of any contacts by my Departments with Portland PR.

DEFENCE

Iraq

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the outcomes were of the talks held during his recent visit to Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: I had a number of discussions with a range of interlocutors in southern Iraq, including senior British officers and Iraqi officials. Our discussions covered the security situation, governance in the Multi National Division (South East) area and economic reconstruction.

Iraq

David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of human rights legislation on the ability of members of the UK armed services to respond to incidents on active duty in Iraq with due regard to their own safety.

Des Browne: British military personnel deployed on operations overseas who come under attack are lawfully entitled to defend themselves including, where necessary, by the use of lethal force. The enactment of the Human Rights Act 1998 has not affected this position.

Iraq

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security situation in Iraq.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for North-West Leicestershire, (David Taylor) and the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire, (Andrew Selous).

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the British Army has conducted an inquiry into the strength of the Badr organisation in Almal and elsewhere in South East Iraq.

Des Browne: There has been no inquiry into militia numbers. However, militias are something we routinely monitor. Assessments suggest that there are up to 10,000 people with various affiliations to the Badr organisation in southern Iraq.

Iraq

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British soldiers injured in Iraq since March 2003 have sustained a  (a) severe,  (b) moderate and  (c) mild traumatic brain injury as a result of (i) being wounded in action and (ii) a vehicle or other accident.

Des Browne: The best centrally available records do not allow us to specify types of injury, such as head injury, for UK personnel who have served on Operation Telic. Nor do they separately identify the number of UK personnel injured in vehicle related or other accidents. However, information on those wounded in Iraq can be obtained on the MOD website at www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsInIraqBritishCasualties.htm.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many attacks on multi-national forces were recorded in  (a) Al Basrah,  (b) Al Muthanna,  (c) Dhi Qar and  (d) Maysan province in Iraq in (i) January, (ii) February, (iii) March and (iv) April 2006.

Des Browne: The following table outlines the number of attacks by province on multi-national forces in Multi-National Division (South-East) in 2006:
	
		
			   Al Muthanna  Basrah  Dhi Qar  Maysan 
			  2006 
			 January 5 21 2 8 
			 February 2 20 3 16 
			 March 1 43 3 10 
			 April 4 71 5 23 
			 May 0 25 1 6

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of co-operation exists between multi-national forces and Iraqi  (a) police,  (b) military and  (c) local council officials in (i) Al Basrah,(ii) Al Muthanna, (iii) Dhi Qar and (iv) Maysan provinces in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: Multi-national forces work closely with the Iraqi police, military and local council officials across the four provinces in Multi-National Division (South East). We have re-established full co-operation with Basrah Provincial Council following its decision earlier this month to end its boycott of UK forces. Elements within Maysan Provincial Council have withdrawn their co-operation with multi-national forces on a personal basis, but there is no official or widespread boycott in operation. Our work with the Governor of Maysan, many of the council officials and the Iraqi security forces has continued unimpeded.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what commitment has been given by the UK Government regarding the reconstruction of the Serious Crime Department building destroyed in the Jamiyal district of Basra in September 2005.

Adam Ingram: The Consul General and Provincial Governor have agreed that, as the Jameat police building itself has been deemed structurally unsound, it would be preferable to relocate the facility, rather than refurbish it. Both parties have agreed that it would be sensible to move into a number of sites already partially or wholly funded by the UK as part of the Security Sector Reform process in MND(SE).

Iraq

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the average daily operational ability is of  (a) the Warrior fleet,  (b) Snatch Land Rovers and  (c) soft skin Land Rovers based in Iraq;
	(2)  how many  (a) Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicles,  (b) Snatch Land Rovers and  (c) soft skin Land Rovers are based in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: For reasons of operational security, we do not release details of military capability. On average, however, UK armed forces conduct a total of some 120 to 140 patrols by road vehicle per day across Multi-National Division (South-East).

Veterans' Badge

Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who is eligible to apply for the UK armed forces veterans' badge.

Tom Watson: All those who served in HM Forces up to 31 December 1954 are currently eligible to apply for the HM armed forces veteran's badge, as are war widows and widowers who are in receipt of a war pension where their deceased spouse served over same period. Applications from those who served between 1 January 1955 and 31 December 1959 will be accepted from 27 June 2006. Further extensions to eligibility to cover those who served more recently will be made at the earliest practicable opportunity.

Veterans' Badge

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans' badges have been issued since the badge was introduced.

Tom Watson: There have been 240,222 veterans' lapel badges issued up to and including 12 May 2006.

Fleet Submarines

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many fleet submarines are operational.

Adam Ingram: Two types of submarines make up the Royal Navy Submarine Service. There are 10 fleet submarines, of which eight are operational. There are four ballistic missile submarines, of which three are operational.

Trident

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what expenditure he plans to make available in the next five years for preliminary work on renewal of the Trident missile and submarine systems prior to a decision on its future.

Des Browne: No decisions have been taken on any replacement for the Trident system but we continue to keep options open for the future. We expect to spend around £5 million this year, and a similar amount in 2007-08, on initial preparatory work on possible options for any future deterrent. There is also some additional expenditure on elements of the current system to keep options open but it is not possible precisely to distinguish between elements of this expenditure that support the current system and those necessary to keep options open.

Trident

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish his recommendations on the future of Trident.

Des Browne: Decisions on any replacement for Trident are likely to be necessary in the current Parliament, although they are still some way off.

Veterans' Day

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to encourage the marking of Veterans' Day in West Yorkshire.

Tom Watson: We are keen to encourage communities throughout the UK to mark the first Veterans' Day on 27 June. The Ministry of Defence has undertaken a comprehensive publicity campaign to promote the day and to highlight the funding available to assist local communities to organise their own events. This has included letters to all hon. Members, to 14,000 schools and to around 3,000 councils and lord lieutenants. We have also placed information on the internet and have worked closely with the main ex-service organisations.

EU Defence Co-operation

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to take forward EU defence co-operation.

Des Browne: During the UK presidency of the European Union last year, we took forward an assessment of the military capabilities the EU needs and assisted partners in developing these capabilities to ensure that EU battlegroups are able to respond rapidly to crises. We also encouraged the EU to adopt a comprehensive approach to missions, better integrating the civil and military contributions that the EU can make to crisis management and disaster response. This year we have encouraged member states to consider what contribution they can make to increasing the amount of strategic lift available for both EU and NATO operations. We will continue to support the development of a European Security and Defence Policy able to complement and reinforce NATO.

Hercules Aircraft

Jim Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of UK Hercules aircraft deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have been fitted with anti-explosive foam; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: A programme is currently under way to fit a number of our Hercules aircraft with explosion suppressant foam, but revealing the numbers or types of Hercules being fitted might prejudice the security of our armed forces. The first aircraft fitted is expected to be ready for operational deployment within the next few months.

Afghanistan

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his assessment was of the security situation in Helmand province in January 2006; what his current assessment is; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The security situation in the south of Afghanistan is less benign than in the north. In the south, authority and the rule of law have yet to be firmly established and, at present, insurgents, drug traffickers and a range of illegally armed groups all pose a threat to security, as they did in January 2006. As anticipated, there has been an increase in attacks in the south as the numbers and profile of NATO troops has increased with the deployment of forces for stage 3. We remain committed to the expansion of the international security assistance force (ISAF) across all of Afghanistan.

Apache Bowman Connectivity

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Apache Bowman Connectivity will be implemented for the deployment to Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 16 February 2006
	Elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade, the formation currently deployed to Helmand Province, completed part of the conversion to the Bowman family of radios at the end of 2005. Full conversion will not take place until next year although it has received the Bowman capabilities necessary for the operation.

Arms Trade Treaty

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department plans to take to make progress on international talks on an international arms trade treaty in the next six months.

Des Browne: holding answer 15 May 2006
	As part of a cross-Whitehall team the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Trade and Industry and the Department for International Development are working together towards an international arms trade treaty.
	The MOD is fully supportive of this initiative and will continue to play an active role. When opportunities arise to further progress and raise awareness of this treaty the MOD will seek, as will other Departments, to act.

Army Retirements Board

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the membership of the Army Retirements Board.

Tom Watson: The composition of the Army Retirements Board is as follows:
	
		
			  Position  
			 Chair Deputy Military Secretary 
			   
			 Members Colonel Manning (Army) 
			  Colonel Personnel Services 2 (Army) 
			  Head of Land Forces Secretariat 
			   
			 Secretary Staff Officer 1, Occurrence Wing, Army Personnel Centre 
			   
			 Statistics Secretary Staff Officer 2, Terms of Service Officer, Directorate of Manning (Army)

Army Retirements Board

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pleas of conscientious objection to military service have been  (a) considered,  (b) approved and  (c) rejected by the Army Retirements Board on behalf of the Defence Council in each of the last five years.

Tom Watson: Fewer than five cases from officers, which have cited conscientious objection to military service in the Regular Army or Officer Reserves, have been presented to and accepted by the Army Retirements Board within the last five years. To break down this figure any further would contravene the rules of disclosure as individuals could be identified.
	No cases citing such reasons have been rejected by the Army Retirements Board within the last five years.

Astute Submarine

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what options have been explored to adapt future Astute submarines to fire  (a) Trident D5 and  (b) D5(A) missiles.

Des Browne: I have nothing to add to the answer given by the then Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Airdrie and Shotts (John Reid) to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey) on 19 April 2006,  Official Report, column 674W.

Campaign Medal (Iraq)

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service  (a) men and  (b) women have received the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal following service in Iraq.

Tom Watson: This information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Defence Export Services Organisation

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 4 May 2006 to Question reference 68593, on the Defence Export Services Organisation, if he will make a statement on the purpose of the Saudi Armed Forces Project and the number of  (a) British based and  (b) Saudi based full-time equivalent staff working on the project.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 November 2003,  Official Report, column 437W, to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb). The Saudi Armed Forces Project currently employs 111 staff in the UK and 62 in Saudi Arabia.

Departmental Procurement

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to conclude a Strategic Partnering Agreement for helicopters.

Adam Ingram: Good progress has been made towards agreeing a Strategic Partnering Arrangement with AgustaWestland. We expect to conclude these discussions shortly and make an announcement thereafter.

European Union Satellite Centre

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what services available from the European Union Satellite Centre are being used by his Department;
	(2)  what information was  (a) requested and  (b) received from the European Union Satellite Centre prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Des Browne: The European Union Satellite Centre purchases imagery from commercial satellite owners to produce both analysis and geographic information in response to requests from member states. Where the European Union as a whole agrees that requesting information from the Satellite Centre is valuable, this information is designated a "Council Task" and products are made available to both European Union institutions and member states at no additional charge. The Ministry of Defence routinely receives these products.
	The Ministry of Defence did not task the European Union Satellite Centre with any requirements prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The Ministry of Defence did receive some products requested by other member states designated as Council Tasks.

Far East Internees

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in finalising the settlements for Second World War Far East civilian internees.

Tom Watson: Ministry of Defence officials have drafted detailed rules for the new 20-year residence criterion and held initial discussions on these with the Chairman of the Association of British Civilians in the Far East Region. Revised rules reflecting these discussions will be considered by the working group which my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Islwyn (Mr. Touhig) announced on 28 March 2006,  Official Report, columns 681-90, at their meeting on the 25 May. We aim to implement the new criterion as soon as possible.

Financial Data

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's  (a) chart of accounts and  (b) resource account codes for financial year 2006-07.

Adam Ingram: I plan to do so in the near future.

Financial Data

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the monthly forecasts of payment and receipts provided by his Department to the Treasury under its cash management scheme for the second half of 2005-06.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 December 2005,  Official Report, column 676W, to the hon. Member for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth). The answer provided monthly forecasts of payments and receipts from February to October 2005. I have placed copies of the forecasts for November 2005 to April 2006 in the Library of the House.

Financial Data

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's monthly financial submissions to the Treasury's general expenditure monitoring system for the second half of 2005-06.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Helicopters

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times an Army Air Corps  (a) Lynx and  (b) Gazelle needed a component (i) repaired and (ii) replaced in each of the past three years.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Improvised Explosive Devices

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what  (a) (i) vehicle armour and (ii) infantry protection has been issued and  (b) tactics have been implemented to protect the UK's armed forces against improvised explosive devices;
	(2)  to what extent the armed forces are co-operating with other coalition partners on tactics aimed at countering improvised explosive devices.

Adam Ingram: We are not able to detail our counter-improvised explosive device (IED) measures, as disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice the security of our armed forces. British Forces deployed on operations are equipped with a range of protective procedures and equipment. We co-operate fully with our coalition partners to counter the threat posed by IEDs.

Joint Maritime Exercises

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of joint maritime exercises.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Military Aircraft

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times  (a) Canberra,  (b) Nimrod and  (c) Tornado GR4A aircraft were cannibalised in (i) 2003, (ii) 2004 and (iii) 2005.

Adam Ingram: The removal of serviceable parts from one aircraft for use on another is a routine and temporary measure to ensure that the maximum number of aircraft (which are safe, reliable and capable of performing their designated tasks) are available to the front line.
	The number of these instances over the last three years for the aircraft specified is given in the following table.
	
		
			   2003  2004  2005 
			 Canberra(1) 92 63 23 
			 Nimrod(2) (3)464 376 309 
			 Tornado GR4A (4)281 298 207 
			 (1 )Figures include PR9 and T4.  (2 )Figures include Nimrod R1 and Nimrod MR2.  (3) Estimated for Nimrod Rl.  (4) Records for 2003 are incomplete (reporting anomalies).

Military Aircraft

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times an RAF  (a) VC-10,  (b) Tristar,  (c) Hercules C-130J,  (d) Hercules C-130L and  (e) C-17A Globemaster aircraft needed a component (i) repaired and (ii) replaced in each of the past three years.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Military Medical Staff

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the availability of medical staff in the  (a) Royal Navy,  (b) Royal Marines,  (c) Army and  (d) Royal Air Force; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: holding answer 15 May 2006
	The Defence Medical Services (DMS) are responsible for the delivery of deployable medical operational capability in support of UK military operations and for providing health care to UK Service personnel to ensure they are "fit for task" and ready to deploy when needed.
	Operational medical support required by UK troops deployed on operations is designed to be the most appropriate and robust to enable the commander to complete his mission. This is determined by a rigorous medical estimate of the military tasks to be undertaken. DMS manning requirements are regularly assessed with the aim of ensuring that we have sufficient medical staff to meet these key military requirements.
	Manning levels in the DMS vary across different specialities and Services. In some areas we are very well manned, whilst in others we are experiencing shortfalls. However, there is no question of British forces being deployed on military operations without appropriate medical support. Manning shortfalls are being continually addressed through a package of remunerative and non-remunerative measures.

RAF Leconfield

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on constructing a new search and rescue hangar at RAF Leconfield; what he expects the total final cost will be; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The construction costs incurred so far for the project total £8.6 million inclusive of VAT. Due to ongoing commercial negotiations, I am unable to provide an expected total final cost.
	I will write to the hon. Member with an expected total final cost at the earliest opportunity.

Non-Proliferation Treaty

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent steps the Government have taken to implement its disarmament obligations under Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Des Browne: The UK is fully committed to its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, including those on disarmament under Article VI, and has made significant disarmament steps since 1992. For example, the UK has given up both the nuclear Lance missile and artillery roles we undertook previously with US nuclear weapons held under dual-key arrangements, along with our maritime tactical nuclear capability, so that Royal Navy surface ships no longer have any capability to carry or deploy nuclear weapons. In 1998, the UK withdrew and dismantled the last air-launched nuclear weapon, the Royal Air Force's WE117 nuclear bombs. The dismantlement of the last remaining Chevaline (Polaris) warheads occurred in April 2002, so that Trident is now our only nuclear weapons system.
	In all, there has been a reduction of the UK's operationally available stockpile of nuclear weapons to fewer than 200 warheads, representing a reduction of more than 70 per cent. in the potential explosive power of our nuclear forces since the end of the cold war. Only one Trident submarine is on deterrent patrol at any one time and that submarine is normally on several days 'notice to fire' and its missiles are not targeted at any specific country.
	In addition, the UK announced in 1995 that we had stopped the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, and we continually press for negotiations to begin on a fissile material cut-off treaty at the conference on disarmament in Geneva. We have also been more transparent about our nuclear and fissile material stockpiles, publishing an historical account of plutonium stockpiles, along with an account of our highly enriched uranium earlier this year.
	We are the only nuclear power that has so far been prepared to take such important steps on the route to nuclear disarmament.

Non-Proliferation Treaty

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the United States and  (b) other states on fulfilling disarmament obligations under Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Des Browne: The UK holds regular discussions with the US and other states on a wide range of security and international issues including the fulfilment of obligations under all articles of the NPT. The fulfilment of obligations under Article VI has most recently been discussed in a multilateral format at the United Nations Disarmament Commission in New York, last held between 10 and 28 April 2006, and at the standing Conference on Disarmament in Geneva earlier this year.

Nuclear Weapons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his policy that UK nuclear weapons should not be used against a non-nuclear state.

Des Browne: The United Kingdom's policy has not changed since 1998. I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 31 of Supporting Essay 5 to the 1998 Strategic Defence Review.

Nuclear Weapons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the explosive yield is of the Trident warhead.

Des Browne: I am withholding the information requested because it relates to national security and defence of the UK.

Nuclear Weapons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK nuclear scientists are involved in the research and development of new US nuclear weapons, with particular reference to the Reliable replacement warhead.

Des Browne: The Reliable replacement warhead project is a purely US national programme.

Nuclear Weapons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the  (a) present and  (b) future role of Trident, with particular reference to the potential development of a low yield warhead.

Des Browne: The Government's policy on nuclear weapons remains as set out in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) (Cm 3999) and the 2002 SDR New Chapter (Cm 5566). The UK's nuclear weapons have a continuing use as a means of deterring major strategic military threats and they have a continuing role in guaranteeing the ultimate security of the UK. We would only ever contemplate their use in extreme circumstances of self-defence.
	The Atomic Weapons Establishment is not engaged in the development of any new warheads.

Nuclear Weapons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is Government policy that first strike use of UK nuclear weapons is ruled out.

Des Browne: The United Kingdom Government would be prepared to use nuclear weapons only in extreme circumstances of self-defence. We would not use our weapons, whether conventional or nuclear, contrary to international law.
	A policy of no first use of nuclear weapons would be incompatible with our and NATO's doctrine of deterrence. We have made clear, as have our NATO allies, that the circumstances in which any use of nuclear weapons might have to be contemplated are extremely remote. Our overall strategy is to ensure uncertainty in the mind of any aggressor about the exact nature of our response, and thus to maintain effective deterrence.

Nuclear Weapons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how long he estimates the UK Trident nuclear capability could remain operational were US technical support withdrawn.

Des Browne: We have not undertaken a detailed assessment of this hypothetical situation, as we have no reason to believe that the withdrawal of US technical support for Trident is remotely likely. However, we anticipate that, in this highly unlikely scenario, the main impact on the UK would be in terms of the cost of maintaining the system rather than on its operational effectiveness.

Pension Entitlement (Service Widows)

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to reduce the pension entitlement of widows of servicemen following a successful compensation claim for death in service.

Tom Watson: It has been the policy of successive governments, applied to all public sector schemes and in accordance with common law principles, that an individual cannot receive double payment for loss of earnings and support where such compensation has been awarded by two different routes for the same incident. The Ministry of Defence has no plans to change that policy.
	The armed forces occupational pension schemes pay death benefits regardless of whether the death was caused by service. This standard level of widows pension is not reduced by any common law compensation award.
	Where the death of the serviceman has been caused by service in the armed forces, the widow may receive compensation. Where the cause of death was on or before 5 April 2005, this would be by way of a War Widow's Pension under the War Pensions Scheme (WPS). This pension is paid in full. In addition, an enhanced rate of widows pension under the occupational pension scheme may be paid, which includes an element for loss of earnings and support. It is only this final element that may be affected by a common law compensation settlement, where that settlement also includes an element for loss of earnings and support.
	Where the cause of death was on or after 6 April 2005, the widow may receive compensation under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), which replaces both the WPS and the enhanced elements of the occupational scheme. Because the AFCS benefits will normally be paid before any common law compensation settlement, arrangements are in place to reduce the common law compensation instead of seeking to claw back the AFCS benefit that would already be in payment.

Predator Unmanned Vehicles

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what involvement British officials have had in the  (a) collection and analysis of data gathered by and  (b) operation of US predator unmanned aerial vehicles;
	(2)  what information  (a) he and  (b) his officials have received on the use by US forces of predator unmanned aerial vehicles for the purpose of military attacks in (a) Afghanistan, (b) Iraq and (c) Pakistan.

Adam Ingram: UK embedded staff regularly receive information on the use by US forces of US predator unmanned aerial vehicles. UK military personnel are mandated, however, to only get involved in the planning or execution of operations that are within UK rules of engagement and/or comply with British domestic and international law obligations. In this manner, UK personnel have only been involved in five unmanned aerial vehicle strikes in Iraq, and one in Afghanistan.

Redress of Grievance Cases

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many redress of grievance cases in respect of  (a) officers,  (b) non-commissioned officers and  (c) other ranks in each of the armed forces are outstanding after more than eight weeks.

Tom Watson: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Army  RAF  RN 
			 Officers 73 32 11 
			 NCOs 33 21 (1)14 
			 Other ranks/ratings 121 8 (1) 
			 (1 )The RN figures do not differentiate between non-officer categories. 
		
	
	The figures show those cases under consideration now at second or third level where the complaint was originally made more than eight weeks ago. Records are not kept centrally of complaints under consideration at first (commanding officer) level.

Service Accommodation

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received on accommodation charges for service  (a) men and  (b) women.

Tom Watson: Accommodation charges are the same for both male and female service personnel in the same circumstances. Charges are set by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB) as part of their deliberations on, and recommendations for, pay and charges for service personnel. The AFPRB listens to the views of service personnel, the services and (where appropriate) families during regular visits to a range of units across all services, some of whom have commented on recent increases to accommodation charges. There has also been correspondence with the chairman of the Army Families Federation on this subject.

Service Accommodation

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints his Department has received about service accommodation in the UK in the last 12 months.

Tom Watson: Defence Estates (DE), the Ministry of Defence (MOD) agency responsible for Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in the UK, received 338 complaints between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2006. An additional 2,249 complaints regarding SFA have been received by MODern Housing Solutions (MHS), the MOD's Housing Prime Contractor since the contract commenced in January 2006. A proportion of these complaints relate to the backlog of work assumed by MHS from the previous contractual arrangements. 1,949 have now been closed.
	There have been no complaints sent to DE with regard to single living service accommodation in the UK during the last 12 months.

Service Accommodation

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans are there to upgrade service family quarters at RAF Scampton.

Tom Watson: Service Family Accommodation upgrades are currently planned at Scampton within the next three to five years, reflecting the station's position in the Defence Estate's Housing Upgrade Priority List. This list is kept under review in the light of changing priorities.

Submarine Programme Management Organisation

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the establishment of a unified submarine programme management organisation.

Adam Ingram: Submarine programme management within the Ministry of Defence has recently been unified under the Director General Nuclear, who is responsible to both the Chief of Defence Procurement and the Chief of Defence Logistics for managing delivery of the submarine acquisition programme from concept to disposal. This organisation will also promote and manage any changes in the re-alignment of the submarine build and support industries that will emerge from implementation of the Defence Industrial Strategy in the Maritime sector.

War Widows' Pensions

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many war widows' pensions have been awarded to widows of British nuclear test veterans since 2000.

Tom Watson: The Veterans Agency is aware of a small number (fewer than five) of specific cases where war widows pensions have been awarded to widows of British nuclear test veterans since 2000 (though not necessarily because of their participation in the tests), but does not hold definitive data. It is possible that other such cases exist, but it would not be possible to produce a definitive figure without incurring disproportionate cost.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK forces are trained to render weapons of mass destruction safe and secure.

Adam Ingram: There are currently 463 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Operators qualified and in-role for all three services who are trained and authorised to deal with biological and chemical ordnance natures.
	Of these in-role EOD operators, a limited number have been specifically trained to deal with biological, chemical and non-fissile radiological devices in a counter-terrorist context. Precise numbers are not disclosed as this would prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our forces.

SCOTLAND

Air Miles

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many free air miles have been accrued by senior civil servants in his Department on official business in each of the last three years; and how they were used.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not hold this information; however, air miles accrued on official business by senior civil servants must be used for official purposes, donated to charity or foregone.

Departmental Credit Cards

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what facility is available for senior civil servants in his Department to use credit cards supplied by the Department.

David Cairns: None.

Foreign Prisoner Releases

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on the release of foreign prisoners due for deportation from Scottish jails.

David Cairns: My right hon. Friend has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues affecting Scotland.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discounts are available in relation to hotel accommodation used by  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in his Department.

David Cairns: Where staff use the Office's travel agent to organise hotel accommodation, the agent arranges such accommodation within the prescribed daily financial limit.

Private Office Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been paid in  (a) salary,  (b) travelling expenses,  (c) subsistence allowance and  (d) removal expenses to special advisers in his private office in each of the last five years.

David Cairns: Since 2003, the Government have published, on an annual basis, the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each pay band. For information relating to the last financial year, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on 21 July 2005,  Official Report, columns 158-61WS. Information on special advisers for this financial year is currently being collected and will be published in the normal way when it is ready.
	No expenditure on removal expenses has been incurred. The costs of travel and subsistence were as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Travel  Subsistence 
			 2001-02 24,818 10,648 
			 2002-03 25,787 12,694 
			 2003-04 8,583 8,258 
			 2004-05 12,318 4,738 
			 2005-06 11,419 6,078

WALES

Cardiff Millennium Stadium

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on crowd crushes due to the collapse of safety rails outside the Cardiff Millennium Stadium on 13 May 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: None.
	I understand that Millennium Stadium management are conducting an internal inquiry into the incident which occurred at gate 2 prior to kick off on Saturday, in which some 'channelling barriers' were damaged. This will include examining CCTV footage to identify the cause.
	Fortunately it appears that no crush injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
	The Millennium Stadium has an excellent record of hosting major sporting events and many fans have expressed their appreciation for the stadium and the host city of Cardiff.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discounts are available in relation to hotel accommodation used by  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in his Department.

Peter Hain: In June 2003 the Wales Office became a separate entity within the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA), and therefore adopts DCA's Travel and subsistence guidance, which sets the accommodation ceiling of £90 a night for London and £72 for other cities in the UK.
	The Wales Office does not have its own arrangement for discounts on hotel accommodation.

Racial Abuse Complaints

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many complaints of racial abuse in his Department have  (a) been investigated and  (b) upheld in each of the last five years.

Peter Hain: None.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Coeliac Disease

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been diagnosed with coeliac disease.

Paul Goggins: The number of people diagnosed with coeliac disease in Northern Ireland is not available.
	Information is available on the number of those suffering with coeliac disease admitted as inpatients to hospitals in Northern Ireland.
	During 2004-05 (the latest year for which information is available), there were a total of 532 admissions to hospitals in Northern Ireland, for patients with coeliac disease.
	It should be noted that any individual could have been admitted to hospital more than once over the course of a year and would therefore be counted more than once in the figures.
	 Source: Hospital Inpatients System DHSS and PS

Departmental Publications

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) press notices and  (b) consultation documents were issued by his Department during the summer recess.

Peter Hain: I apologise for the delay in responding to this question. This was due to an administrative error. During the summer recess, 28 July to 10 October 2005 inclusive, the NIO issued the following:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Press notices 44 
			 Consultation document 1

Prisons

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what advice was given to the governor of HMP Magherberry about the advisability of granting compassionate parole to James Joseph McEvoy.

Paul Goggins: Decisions on granting compassionate temporary release are matters for Prison Service headquarters acting on the basis of information from the establishment. Mr. McEvoy was returned to custody on 15 May. Following this incident a review of the procedures is in hand.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what resources are available to the Head of Human Resources of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to enable him to answer correspondence from hon. Members;
	(2)  what the average time taken was by the Police Service of Northern Ireland's Head of Human Resources to reply to correspondence in each of the past 12 months.

Shaun Woodward: This parliamentary question falls under the direct operational responsibility of the Chief Constable, rather than Government policy, and I have therefore asked the Chief Constable to respond directly to the hon. Lady.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 11 May 2006,  Official Report, column 507W, on police; how many police trainee constables were recruited in financial year 2004-05.

Paul Goggins: I am advised that 531 police trainee constables out of a total of 11,801 applicants were recruited in financial year 2004-05.

Public Consultations

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many public consultations  (a) each Northern Ireland Department and  (b) the Northern Ireland Office undertook in the last 12 months; and what the cost was (i) in total and (ii) of each consultation.

David Hanson: Details of the number of public consultations undertaken by the Northern Ireland Office and the 11 Northern Ireland Departments between April 2005 and March 2006 and associated costs have been placed in the Library of the House.
	Costs include figures for each consultation and a total for each Department. All costs indicated are external and do not include, for example, internal costs such as staff time. The costs reflect the scale of each consultation and the methods used to carry out the consultation whether in writing or electronic form.

Rates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of an average  (a) domestic rates and  (b) water rates bill in Northern Ireland from April 2007.

David Hanson: The Secretary of State determines the level of the regional rate in NI. The average domestic regional rate bill in 2007-08 is expected to be around £395. In addition to this, district councils each strike a district domestic rate independently from central Government. Based on current trends, the average district domestic rate next year will be £313.
	On 8 December 2005, my hon. Friend the Member for St. Helens, South, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Woodward) announced the introduction of domestic water and sewerage charges in Northern Ireland. Bills will be set in line with average domestic bills in England and Wales. Charges will be phased in over a three-year period which means that the average domestic water and sewerage bill in April 2007 will be just over £100.
	My hon. Friend also announced the introduction of an affordability tariff which will ensure that eligible low-income households spend no more than 3 per cent. of their income on water and sewerage charges. No-one on the tariff will pay more than £60 in 2007-08 regardless of the value of the property in which they live. Up to 200,000 households in Northern Ireland will benefit from the tariff.

Review of Public Administration

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether local councils in Northern Ireland will be prevented from utilising cash reserves in the run-up to the implementation of the findings of the Review of Public Administration.

David Cairns: Councils may earmark reserves for specific statutory or policy purposes or for contingencies and it is for them to decide how they utilise these funds. Nevertheless, the Local Government Taskforce Finance Sub-Group is currently considering all aspects of local government finance and any recommendations made by this group will ultimately be a matter for Ministers.

Road Safety

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Department of Environment will set out the new measures to be taken to reduce fatalities on the roads.

David Cairns: Several new measures are currently being progressed to reduce fatalities on the roads.
	New primary road traffic legislation, on which the Department of the Environment (DOE) consulted from October 2005 to January 2006, will be introduced in due course.
	The Department will be making an announcement later in the year on the compulsory wearing of seat belts/restraints on buses, coaches, cars and goods vehicles. A new TV publicity campaign to highlight the dangers of not wearing seat belts is planned for September.
	The Department is currently preparing a new Highway Code which will be published in March 2007.

Road Safety

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will establish a Road Safety Authority in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: The Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy 2002-2012 provides an integrated approach to the planning, co-ordination and delivery of Government's road safety activities and it requires the three main statutory bodies with responsibility for road safety in Northern Ireland (the Department of the Environment, the Department for Regional Development's Roads Service and the Police Service of Northern Ireland) to work together closely in partnership.
	A Road Safety Steering Group, comprising senior management from each of the three partners, is responsible for coordinating delivery of the strategy and ensuring cohesive and complementary education, enforcement and engineering road safety activities.
	These partnership arrangements are working well and are making a significant contribution to casualty reductions and there are no plans at this time to change this approach.

Small Change Big Difference

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department and its agencies have taken following the launch of the Government's Small Change Big Difference campaign.

Paul Goggins: Discussions have been held between officials in the Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland and officials within the Department of Health in England, in relation to the extent to which social marketing campaigns being developed by the Department of Health, including the Small Change Big Difference campaign, could be applied to Northern Ireland.
	A number of public information campaigns have been developed by the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland to promote healthier lifestyles, as part of Northern Ireland's public health strategy, Investing for Health. In March 2006, the Health Promotion Agency launched, "Every Step is a Forward Step", to promote the health benefits of physical activity and to encourage members of the public to undertake regular, moderate physical activity.

Traffic Wardens

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many traffic wardens in Northern Ireland were assaulted in the course of their duties in each year between 2000 and 2005.

Shaun Woodward: To obtain this information would require a manual trawl of assault cases at disproportionate cost.

Waste Transfers

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his estimate is of the amount of waste from the Irish Republic being transferred to Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

David Cairns: Waste can be transferred into Northern Ireland under the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations (1994).
	Between March 2005 and February 2006, the total tonnage for waste movements from ROI to NI moved under the regulations and notified to the Department was 14,610 tonnes. However, a significant proportion did not remain in NI, but continued on to GB.
	The total quantities of green listed waste (for example, for paper only) transported under these regulations are unknown, as the movement of such waste does not have to be notified.
	The Department's Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) has detected some examples of sham recovery, where companies claim to be recycling the waste they input, when in fact they send it to landfill. EHS is investigating these cases and its Environmental Crime Team will be increasingly focusing on this area.
	Estimates suggest that up to 250,000 tonnes of household waste from the Republic of Ireland (ROI) were illegally deposited on land within Northern Ireland (NI) between October 2002 and the end of 2004.
	To date, 57 illegal landfill sites have been discovered in NI containing ROI waste. It is not possible to determine how much waste was deposited in a given year as in many cases the waste is decayed to the point of being untraceable.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Local Election Reports

Eric Pickles: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what the Electoral Commission's timetable is for publishing its reports on the local elections held on 4 May 2006.

Peter Viggers: There is no statutory requirement for the Electoral Commission to report on the administration of the recent local government elections other than in respect of its evaluations of the 15 different electoral pilot schemes that took place in 21 English local authority area elections on 4 May 2006. The Commission has informed me that those reports will be available by the statutory deadline of 4 August 2006.
	The Commission informs me that it has also scheduled a series of review activities in relation to the conduct of the local government elections held in England on 4 May 2006, in exercise of its power under section 6 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to keep matters relating to local government elections under review. It intends to publish its conclusions in the summer.

Press Releases

Oliver Heald: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission 
	(1)  what steps the Speaker's Committee has taken to satisfy itself that the Electoral Commission's press release of 16 May 2006 on mock elections represents an efficient and effective use of its resources;
	(2)  what guidance the Commission has given to its press office on ensuring impartiality in its press releases;
	(3)  what discussions the Commission had with political parties prior to issuing its press release of 16 May 2006 on mock elections;
	(4)  what discussions the Commission had with political parties on the supporting materials and manifesto guides to the political parties produced for its mock election 2006 campaign prior to the distribution of these materials to schools.

Peter Viggers: The statutory duties of the Speaker's Committee do not require it to satisfy itself that any specific action of the Electoral Commission represents an efficient and effective use of its resources. It is not therefore its practice to do so.
	I have asked the Electoral Commission to write to my hon. Friend, and to place a copy of its letter in the Library of the House.

Voter Registration Campaigns

Eric Pickles: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission how much the Electoral Commission spent in  (a) 2005 and  (b) 2006 on campaigns to increase voter registration, including grants to local authorities.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it spent approximately £2.05 million in Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2005 on campaigns to increase voter registration and, to date, in 2006 has spent approximately £1.88 million on campaigns in Great Britain. The Commission makes its campaign materials available to local authorities at no cost.

CABINET OFFICE

Freedom of Information

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps her Department is taking to improve its response rate to Freedom of Information requests.

Hilary Armstrong: Valuable experience has been gained over the first year of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and overall the Cabinet Office is performing well and in line with other departments. It is, however, often necessary to extend the time for responding to a request where a qualified exemption applies to the information being sought and the public interest is engaged. The Cabinet Office is seeking to improve its performance wherever possible and this is reflected in the quarterly statistics published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs that show the 'in time' figure for the Cabinet Office rising from 80 per cent. in Q1 (January-March 2005) to 94 per cent. in Q4 (October-December 2005).

Freedom of Information

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Freedom of Information requests her Department has received since 1 January 2006.

Hilary Armstrong: The number of Freedom of Information requests received by Cabinet Office between 1 January and 31 March 2006 will be published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs in its quarterly monitoring bulletin. For 2005, the Cabinet Office received a total of 1,337 requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Freedom of Information

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Freedom of Information requests her Department has not answered within the 20-day deadline since 1 January 2006.

Hilary Armstrong: The number of Freedom of Information requests answered within the 20-day deadline by the Cabinet Office between 1 January and 31 March 2006 will be published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs in its quarterly monitoring bulletin. Departments are allowed to extend the deadline to consider the public interest and it is appropriate that they take the time necessary to reach the correct decision: that is, to protect information that is legitimately exempt and to release information where the balance of public interest lies in its disclosure.

Freedom of Information

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many representations she has received about her Department's handling of Freedom of Information requests.

Hilary Armstrong: Complaints about the Cabinet Office's handling of requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are dealt with under the Department's internal review procedures. Details of internal reviews in 2005, where the requested information was initially withheld, will be published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs in its annual report, copies of which will be available in the Library.

Planning Applications

Janet Dean: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many planning applications have been submitted by the Duchy in each of the last fiveyears; how many planning applications are under consideration; and when each current application was submitted.

Hilary Armstrong: The Duchy of Lancaster currently has 10 planning applications awaiting decisions—three submitted in January, one in February, four in March, one in April and one in May 2006.
	To provide full analysis of the applications submitted over the last five years would not be possible without incurring disproportionate cost.

Small Change Big Difference

Anne Milton: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps her Department has taken following the launch of the Government's Small Change Big Difference Campaign.

Hilary Armstrong: The Cabinet Office have a number of initiatives that encourage their employees to make changes advocated by the Small Change Big Difference Campaign examples of which include:
	Wellbeing Fitness Centre—available for all Cabinet Office employees to use to increase their levels of physical activity. The centre offers a number of additional services such as lifestyle consultation and nutritional advice.
	The staff canteen offers a variety of menu choices, healthy options are clearly indicated and are cooked with no added oils with all vegetables steamed. Additionally a new light and healthy option is now available each day.
	The option of working flexibly so that employees can effectively manage their work with outside commitments and remote access service that allows employees to work from home.
	Cabinet Office have recently launched two Well-Being pilots. These have taken a holistic approach focusing on improving organisational effectiveness and employee well-being.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Education

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many  (a) men and  (b) women are attending an adult community education course in each parliamentary constituency in Derbyshire;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the likely impact of Derbyshire Learning and Skills Council's proposed funding allocation for the Adult Community Education Service in 2006-07 on the provision of services; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  how many adult community education learning  (a) courses and  (b) venues have been in operation in Derbyshire in each year since 1997; and how many she estimates will be in operation in (i) 2006-07 and(ii) 2007-08 in each case;
	(4)  how much funding Derbyshire's Adult Community Education service has received in each year since 1997; and what the allocation is for (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Bill Rammell: On 21 October 2005, I made an announcement, setting out the Government's strategic direction for the learning and skills sector for 2006/07 and 2007/08. The main purpose for doing so was to ensure the 2006/07 funding allocations process began with a clear and concise message on the principles that will underpin funding over the next two years. In addition, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) published 'Priorities for Success'—a document that sets out the funding strategy for the next two years in more detail. This document is available on the LSC's website. These clear messages develop priorities further outlined in my Department's Grant letters to the LSC for 2004-05 and 2005-06 and in the White Paper 'Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances' published on 27 March 2006.
	Although more public funding will be going into the sector, we will focus funding even more strongly on key priorities of raising participation and achievement 14 to 19 and driving down the skills deficit in the adult workforce.
	I reaffirmed our commitment to safeguard the funding for Personal and Community Development Learning in mainstream Further Education and Local Authority funding adult education (Adult and Community Learning) with a budget of £210 million in 2006/07, including family learning, family literacy, language and numeracy and neighbourhood learning in deprived communities.
	In addition in the White Paper 'Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances' we set out our intention to reinvigorate this type of learning to improve its planning, its quality and to gear it more to the needs of local communities.
	The Department allocates funds for the post-16 education and training sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) working through 47 local offices. As this is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council, Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, has written to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 19 April 2006:
	Derbyshire Adult Learning Service's Funding Allocation 2006/07
	I am writing in response to the four Parliamentary Questions which you raised recently regarding the funding allocation made to Derbyshire County Council's Adult Learning Service (ALS) for 2006/07.
	Before answering the specific questions in detail, may I first assure you that the formula by which both the Further Education (FE) and the Personal and Community Development Learning (PCDL) budgets for Derbyshire ALS have been allocated has been consistently applied to all FE and ALS providers across the East Midlands region. Colleagues at Derbyshire ALS accept that this is the case. You will also be aware that whilst overall funding is increasing, resources to fund the FE sector are finite and priorities have to be set. In our allocations for 2006/07, we have therefore asked providers to concentrate core funding on four key priorities that make the biggest impact towards delivering the Government's Skills Strategy.
	These are:
	Education and training for 16 to 18 year olds;
	Young people taking Apprenticeships;
	People who need to improve their basic skills of literacy and numeracy;
	People undertaking their first level 2 qualification.
	Learning and Skills Council National Office
	
		
			  August to July 
			   1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 ACL total excl buildings — — — 1,084,112 3,301,631 3,789,693 4,059,972 4,161,091 4,140,718 
			 FE allocation 1,148,404 1,478,379 1,544,154 2,185,041 2,867,515 3,250,703 3,765,000 4,700,000 4,100,000 
			 NDTC — — — — — 546,211 884,500 — — 
			 Total 1,148,404 1,478,379 1,544,154 3,269,153 6,169,146 7,586,607 8,709,472 8,861,091 8,240,718 
		
	
	The Personal & Community Development Learning (PCDL), including Family Learning and Family Literacy & Numeracy funding allocation for 2005/06 is £4.140 million (this comprises Adult & Community Learning, Family Learning and Family Literacy & Numeracy). The PCDL indicative allocation for 2006-07 is £3.758 million. Whilst the PCDL budget for 06/07 has been safeguarded nationally at 05/06 rates (£210 million) this obviously does not mean that each individual provider will receive the same allocation as in 05/06, particularly since £33 million of this £210 million is within FE colleges and not in Adult Learning Services.
	Derbyshire Adult Learning Service also receives FE funding. In 2005/06 the FE funding allocation is £4.1 million, including £230,000 for Additional Learner Support. The Indicative allocation for 2006/07 is £3.516 million, including £236,000 for Additional Learner Support. In addition, the LSC will be allocating £582,000 growth funding for adult delivery within FE across Derbyshire and the Derbyshire Adult Learning Service, alongside the other deliverers of adult learning across the county, are able to bid for these funds.
	In addition to these figures, the LSC is currently discussing with Derbyshire Adult Learning Service the possibility of additional transitionary funding for 2006/07 in order to help manage the impact of the reduced allocations. Furthermore, the LSC has also agreed to support the investment of £405,000 to create a new Adult & Community Education Centre in Bolsover in partnership with the Derbyshire Adult Learning Service, which is contributing £255,000. In the last four years the LSC has also invested over £4 million in capital improvements in the learning infrastructure for Derbyshire Adult Learning Service, including money to adapt community premises so that they are more accessible for disabled learners.
	As outlined above, it is too early to say how many courses and venues will form part of the offer from September 2006 for the 2006/07 academic year - the LSC is currently in dialogue with Derbyshire Adult Learning Service around funding allocations and the proposed mix and location of the adult learning offer for 2006-07.
	The following table shows the number of adult community education courses and venues from 1997 to 2005/06. The number of outreach centres increased significantly in 2003/04 owing to the development of several family learning centres, including those within school premises. However the reduction of external funding such as Single Regeneration and ESF budgets in 2004/05 saw a reduction in some outreach work that year.
	
		
			  Venue Type  1997/98  1998/99  1999/2000  2000/01  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06 
			 Main Centre 15 16 16 16 16 21 19 22 23 
			 Outreach venue 101 102 105 111 131 118 215 171 181 
			  116 118 121 127 147 139 234 193 204 
		
	
	
		
			  Courses  1999/98  1998/99  1999-2000  2000/01  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06 
			 Voc Courses 910 945 1,033 1,261 1,686 2,246 2,491 2,516 (1)2,642 
			 Non VOC 1,690 1,755 1,836 1,949 2,130 1,991 1,958 2,133 (1)2,100 
			  2,600 2,700 2,869 3,210 3,816 4,237 4,449 4,649 4,742 
			 (1) Estimated end of year figures 
		
	
	In terms of 2006-07 and 2007-08, it is too early to say how many courses and venues will form part of the offer from September 2006; the LSC is currently in dialogue with Derbyshire Adult Learning Service around funding allocations and the proposed mix and location of the adult learning offer from September 2006. Although indicative funding allocations have been outlined to the Derbyshire Adult Learning Service, the published timescale for confirmation of final allocations is by the end of May 2006.
	The funding allocations for the Derbyshire Adult Learning Service since 1997 are detailed below. Prior to 2000, Adult & Community Learning allocations to the ALS were determined by the Local Education Authority and we have no details of these. The NDTC allocation relates to provision transferred to the Adult Learning Service when North Derbyshire Tertiary College was closed.
	Areas of education and training outside these priority areas - such as part-time courses for adults that do not lead to basic skills or first level 2 qualifications - will inevitably feel the funding pressure.
	This dialogue will consider very carefully the impact of the reduced allocations on service delivery and will be reviewing what transitionary funding may be available to alleviate the same. As part of this review, the LSC will also consider the progress made byerbyshire Adult Learning Service in its ongoing efforts to review the relevance, appropriateness and fit with key government targets of its overall adult offer. This is in he context of significant increases in funding for adult learning across Derbyshire during the 2006-07 period.
	There will also be fee income opportunities which Derbyshire Adult Learning Service will want to pursue to reflect the appropriate balance of contributions between the individual and the state for some of this provision - such as part-time courses for adults that do not lead to basic skills or first level 2 qualifications - and in the light of the increasing fee assumption that will apply for 2006/07
	Unfortunately we do not hold information on the number of men and women attending adult courses broken down by parliamentary constituencies within Derbyshire. However, the number of learners accessing adult community education across the whole of Derbyshire in 2004/05 totalled 11,955, comprising 9,577 female learners and 2,378 male.
	Clearly this is only part of the overall picture, with a further 87,247 adult learners funded via FE across Derbyshire, an additional 4,673 through work-based learning programmes, 6,584 through the Employer Training Pilot and a further 20,303 engaged on ESF-funded projects.
	Naturally I am concerned about the impact of the 2006/07 allocation on Derbyshire's Adult Learning Service, and as I mentioned we will be looking to help ameliorate the effects via the provision of transitionary funding. Verity Bullough, the LSC's Regional Director for the East Midlands and Peter Brammall, Executive Director for Derbyshire, are meeting with colleagues from the ALS to discuss this issue more fully.
	I trust that this answers the questions you raised in Parliament but if you require any further detail or explanation please do not hesitate to contact me again.

Adult Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills by what percentage the budget for adult further education changed in each of the local Learning and Skills Council areas between the start of the academic years 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 16 March 2006
	Our strategic priorities for adult learning outlined in Priorities for Success are to: support adults who lack basic skills or the platform of skills for employability; ensure a wide range of opportunities at Level 3; and, ensure the continued availability of a wide range of opportunities for personal and community development. Our investment in adult learning will remain broadly stable and focused on these key priorities.
	The funding allocated by my Department for the Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) major education and training programmes for adults for 2005-06 is £2,851 million, an increase of £183 million or 7 per cent. on the comparable figure for 2004-05. My Department does not hold details of funding at local level. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive has written to my hon. Friend with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 19 May 2006:
	I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Question regarding the budget for adult further education.
	As requested please find attached data showing the movement between the academic years 2004-05 and 2005-06 for further education adult learning, broken down by local LSC area. I have also included data which shows the movement in funding for both youth learning and additional learning support, some of which will apply to adult learning.
	These three elements comprise the totality of further education funding allocations which are made to further education colleges and other further education providers. These figures do not however include funding paid to these providers under other programmes which benefit adult learners, for example adult and community learning, and employer training pilots/train to gain.
	Each provider's funding allocation will have been determined individually in discussion with the provider concerned, taking account of the provider's performance data and the LSC's national, regional and local priorities. The differing levels of movement in funding allocations will be due to a number of factors, including:
	Demographic changes creating greater demand for youth learning in the locality;
	Providers' prior performance, in terms of delivering both numbers of learners and the quality of the learning;
	Historic levels of adult learning and youth participation; and
	The type of learning being delivered, for example, whether it contributes towards Government priorities or supports learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
	Although funding for adult learning has decreased within further education, within the reduced total significantly more funding is now concentrated on priority adult learning. Further education providers should also now receive more funding from the collection of increased fees and from other funding streams, notably train to gain, subject to their ability to provide training which meets the needs of employers. In 2006-07 alone this new adult learning programme has a budget of 230 million.
	I trust this information is helpful.
	
		
			  Percentage Cash Movement 
			  Local Council  16-18  19+  ALS  Total 
			 Norfolk Total 18.2 -10.9 -4.4 6.7 
			 Cambridgeshire Total 12.8 -11.4 3.8 4.2 
			 Suffolk Total 17.1 -12.5 6.1 4.3 
			 Bedfordshire and Luton Total 13.8 -8.9 -15.3 2.1 
			 Hertfordshire 13.2 -9.7 -2.7 3.2 
			 Essex Total 14.5 -13.1 12.1 6.8 
			 Derbyshire Total 12.4 -4.2 4.1 4.0 
			 Nottinghamshire Total 11.9 -6.1 2.3 2.5 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland Total 16.9 -12.0 9.1 5.4 
			 Leicestershire Total 7.9 -2.9 10.9 3.2 
			 Northamptonshire Total 9.2 -4.7 -4.0 3.1 
			 London North Total 8.1 2.4 1.4 5.0 
			 London West Total 9.4 3.6 4.1 6.2 
			 London Central Total 12.8 0.3 3.1 4.6 
			 London East Total 11.2 0.1 -1.3 4.6 
			 London South Total 3.8 0.3 12.6 3.1 
			 Northumberland Total -7.7 -20.3 -4.6 -14.8 
			 Tyne and Wear Total 9.0 -6.6 3.0 1.0 
			 County Durham Total 11.6 -6.2 8.0 2.8 
			 Tees Valley Total 8.5 -3.1 2.8 4.6 
			 Cumbria Total 6.4 -6.9 6.9 0.9 
			 Lancashire Total 9.1 -4.7 2.1 3.8 
			 Greater Merseyslde Total 8.0 -1.0 8.3 4.3 
			 Greater Manchester Total 8.7 -4.4 6.2 4.2 
			 Cheshire and Warrlngton Total 12.2 -6.6 0.7 4.7 
			 Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Total 10.1 -2.0 5.6 4.3 
			 Berkshire Total 10.3 0.2 3.9 5.1 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Total 9.3 2.0 2.3 7.0 
			 Surrey Total 6.5 -7.2 28.1 3.7 
			 Sussex Total 11.2 -0.9 5.9 6.9 
			 Kent and Medway Total 12.0 -4.4 4.4 5.2 
			 Devon and Cornwall Total 9.5 -5.4 -0.7 2.8 
			 Somerset Total 12.4 -11.0 -2.1 3.5 
			 Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Total 5.7 -2.2 10.8 2.6 
			 West of England Total 9.2 1.7 4.1 5.4 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon Total 8.1 -7.2 3.7 2.5 
			 Gloucestershire Total 11.4 -10.3 15.9 4.5 
			 Shropshire Total 9.2 3.7 5.0 6.9 
			 Staffordshire Total 16.9 -6.2 -0.8 5.6 
			 Black Country Total 11.3 3.3 1.6 7.1 
			 Birmingham and Solihull Total 8.4 6.2 7.0 7.2 
			 Herefordshire and Worcestershire Total 12.0 1.4 7.7 7.7 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire Total 10.8 -0.2 1.5 5.0 
			 North Yorkshire Total 14.0 -13.1 12.2 3.9 
			 West Yorkshire Total 11.0 -1.2 -2.7 4.7 
			 South Yorkshire Total 13.1 -1.9 -1.3 5.7 
			 Humberside Total 10.2 -5.9 5.9 4.3 
			 Grand Total 10.4 -2.6 3.8 4.6 
			  Note: ALS = Additional Learner Support.

Adult Education

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many different adult education courses were offered in Bath in each year since 1997; how many adults in Bath registered for an adult education course in each year; and how much was spent by the Government on adult education provision in Bath in each year;
	(2)  if he will take steps to replace the adult education courses available to Bath residents which have been lost as a result of his Department's re-allocation of funding priorities towards 16 to 19-year-olds.

Phil Hope: Our White Paper 'Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances' sets out a comprehensive programme of change that will transform our FE system and achieve its potential as a powerhouse of economic prosperity and social mobility. Its central purpose is to equip both young people and adults with the skills for productive and rewarding employment in a modern economy. In England we will continue to spend between £2.8 billion and £2.9 billion a year of taxpayers' money on support for adult learning. The broad volumes of publicly funded education and training will be maintained; however the balance will shift. We believe that it is right to focus help more on those who need it most,—thatis, those without the basic skills or a full level 2 qualification needed if individuals are to become effective and fulfilled members of the work force, their families and local communities.
	This does mean that those outside our priority areas may have to pay more for their courses. It does not mean that courses which are valued by learners and providers should close because public funding is reduced. The experience of many colleges, for example the City college, Brighton and Hove, is that it is possible to increase fees and the number of enrolments at the same time as providing safeguards for those adults on benefits. I would look to providers in other areas, including Bath, to follow these examples.
	In the White Paper 'Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances' we reaffirmed our commitment to safeguard funding for Personal and Community Development Learning with a budget of £210 million in 2006/07, including family learning, family literacy, language and numeracy and neighbourhood learning in deprived communities. In addition we set out our intention to reinvigorate this type of learning to improve its planning, its quality and to gear it more to the needs of local communities.
	As to the specific questions of funding in each area, the Department allocates funds for the post-16 education and training sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) working through 47 local offices. As this is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council Mark Haysom, the council's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library
	 Letter from Mark Haysom:
	I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Questions regarding adult Education.
	Firstly, I provide a breakdown of the information you requested on adult education courses in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) and the reallocation of funding priorities towards 16 to 19 year olds.
	 Personal and Community Development Learning (PCDL) allocations in B&NES 2005/06 and 2006/07
	Adult and Community Learning (ACL) funding to B&NES for 2005/6 was £378,715. This can be broken down as follows:
	
		
			   Amount (£) 
			 Funding for family learning activities (FLLN and WFL) 109,766 
			 Funding for neighbourhood learning in deprived communities (NLDC) 28,802 
			 Main ACL funding covering personal and community development learning and first steps (learning intended to engage the individual and progress them towards level 2). 240,147 
		
	
	In 2006/07 the decision has been taken nationally to protect FLLN&WFL and NLDC activities by supporting them at 100% of the cash value for 2005/06 and to reduce the total budget available to PCDL and first steps' to approximately 90% of its 2005/06 cash value.
	This approach has been applied to all providers receiving these funding streams throughout the South West region. It delivers the safeguards on these learning activities laid out in "Priorities for Success" (page 14, paragraph 50) and fully consumes the regional budget for these activities.
	Total funding for B&NES in 2006/07 is currently set at £354,897 - please note that this figure is indicative at this stage.
	Broken down into:
	
		
			   Amount (£) 
			 Funding for family learning (FLLN and WFL) 109,766 
			 Funding for neighbourhood learning in deprived communities (NLDC) 28,802 
			 PCDL and first steps 216,329 
		
	
	For comparison the four Unitary Authorities within the West of England LSC area received the following:
	
		
			   Total allocation (£)  
			  Unitary authority  2005/06  2006/07  2006/07 percentage of 2005/06 
			 Bath and NE Somerset 378,715 354,897 93.7 
			 Bristol 104,5534 979,779 93.7 
			 North Somerset 378,715 354,897 93.7 
			 South Gloucestershire 520,441 487,710 93.7 
		
	
	 Further Education (FE) Allocations in B&NES
	FE funding information is shown for B&NES and then separately identified for City of Bath College and Norton Radstock College.
	We have provided the funding levels for the adult budget for 2004/5, 2005/6 and 2006/07 but please note that 2006/07 is indicative at this stage.
	
		
			   19+ allocation  
			   2004/05  2005/06  2006/07 19+ indicative allocation 
			 B and NES 6,084,717 6,799,830 6,289,303 
			 Bath 3,900,993 4,418,220 4,108,375 
			 Norton Radstock 2,183,724 2,381,610 2,180,928 
		
	
	The main reasons for the decrease in 2006/07 are as follows:
	a) Impact of "Priorities for Success" in that the LSC is no longer funding certain adult courses e.g. courses under nine hours and employer mandatory qualifications.
	b) The amount of funding is decided upon a number of factors including historical levels of funding, the potential for providing priority provision i.e. Skills for Life and full level 2 qualifications, provider performance and of course affordability.
	c) The amounts of funding do vary by Unitary Authority, but this is to be expected as factors outlined in paragraph b) above, also vary.
	Secondly, you asked about the activity and funding allocated to adult education in Bath in each year since 1997.
	Prior to the establishment of the LSC in 2001 funding for further education in England was provided by the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC).
	The FEFC allocated funding to a different cohort of providers using a different funding methodology to the LSC and therefore it is not possible for us to provide the information you require for adult education between 1997 and 2001.
	The funding of adult and community learning was passed to the LSC in 2002/03. Prior to that the planning and funding of this activity was subsumed within local authorities. It is therefore also not possible to supply you with the data you request for between 1997 and 2001.
	I attach therefore a breakdown of the information requested for the Bath and North East Somerset area from 2002/03 to 2006/07. The figures show the number of enrolments taken up, the number of distinct learners who accessed learning and the total funds earned. The figures for 2005/06 are an estimate based on current activity and the figures for 2006/07 are still under negotiation.
	 Adult learning in Bath and North East Somerset.
	
		
			  FE funded  2002/03 claimed  2003/04 claimed  2004/05 claimed  2005/06 expected  2006/07 Indicative 
			 Enrolments 18,960 18,452 17,170 16,009 n/a 
			 Learners 12,019 12,729 11,252 10,471 9,845 
			 Funds (£) 5,190,782 6,306,502 6,516,487 6,397,604 6,289,303 
			 n/a = not available. 
		
	
	
		
			  ACL/PCDL funded  2002/03 claimed  2003/04 claimed  2004/05 claimed  2005/06( 1)  expected  2006/07 indicative 
			 Enrolments n/a 2,260 3,036 — n/a 
			 Learners n/a 1,621 1,933 1,051 1,172 
			 Funds (£) 494,356 533,485 579,522 378,715 354,897 
			 n/a = not available. (1) Significant reorganization of ACL took place in this year. An additional £200,000 was granted to B and NES colleges to support costs incurred in this transition which is not shown.

Child Protection

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made since the statement of 19 January in investigating the 13 cases of sex offenders in which information was not complete; and in what respect the data on two of these was inconsistent.

Alan Johnson: In my predecessor's statement of1 March she made clear that each of the 13 cases had been considered further. In 10 of the 13 cases the individuals concerned had been assessed and, where necessary, additional information has been sought from the police. None of these 10 individuals is considered to pose a risk to children and no further action is now being taken.
	In the remaining three cases Sir Roger Singleton advised considering the possible barring of the individuals concerned. On the basis of the most recent information Sir Roger Singleton has advised that in two of the cases there is no reason to proceed further, and the cases are closed. One case has been reopened and additional information will enable us to consider whether this individual should be barred. Police know the whereabouts of this individual and have assured us that the individual is not working with children or in our schools.
	The inconsistent data related to reconciliation of information relating to offences in two cases held by Departmental Officials with Police information. Verification was not completed by the time of the Parliamentary Statement, but was subsequently completed.

Child Protection

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people on List 99 have been given permission to teach in an establishment which does not admit female pupils.

Alan Johnson: List 99 does not give permission to teach. Employers should satisfy themselves that an individual is suitable and a List 99 check is one element of this process. Other checks should include Criminal Records Bureau checks and following up references from previous employers or training establishments where appropriate.
	Returning to the question it is not possible to provide this information in the format requested. As my predecessor said in her statement of 19 January there are 210 people listed on List 99 as being partially barred. As set out in the statement of 19( )January an expert panel will review all cases involving a sexual offence or allegation which resulted in a decision not to include on List 99, or which resulted in a restrictionor partial bar. Sir Roger Singleton's panel, the membership of which was announced in the statement of 1 March, will conduct a review of all cases resulting in a partial bar or restriction and will be reporting back in due course.
	I should add that under previous legislation an individual identified as a risk to a particular age group or gender could have a restriction imposed preventing them from working with that particular group, but not with others outside of that group. However, under current legislation (introduced in October 2000) if an individual is perceived to be a risk to children they are barred on the grounds of unsuitably. Barring them on this ground prevents them from working in the education sector in any capacity and also disqualifies them from working with children in other sectors.

Child Protection

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people on List 99 have been given permission to teach in schools but not to reside in a boarding school.

Alan Johnson: List 99 does not give permission to teach. Employers should satisfy themselves that an individual is suitable and a List 99 check is one element of this process. Other checks should include Criminal Records Bureau checks and following up references from previous employers or training establishments where appropriate.
	Returning to the question it is not possible to provide this information in the format requested. As my predecessor said in her statement of 19 January there are 210 people listed on List 99 as being partially barred. As set out in the statement of 19 January an expert panel will review all cases involving a sexual offence or allegation which resulted in a decision not to include on List 99, or which resulted in a restrictionor partial bar. Sir Roger Singleton's panel, the membership of which was announced in the statement of 1 March, will conduct a review of all cases resulting in a partial bar or restriction and will be reporting back in due course.
	I should add that under previous legislation an individual identified as a risk to a particular age group or gender could have a restriction imposed preventing them from working with that particular group, but not with others outside of that group. However, under current legislation (introduced in October 2000) if an individual is perceived to be a risk to children they are barred on the grounds of unsuitability. Barring them on this ground prevents them from working in the education sector in any capacity and also disqualifies them from working with children in other sectors.

Child Protection

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills under what exceptions people on List 99 have been allowed to teach children.

Alan Johnson: Under previous legislation an individual could have a restriction placed on them on grounds of health or misconduct. The nature of the restriction will vary according to individual circumstances. Under current legislation (introduced in October 2000) if an individual is perceived to be a risk to children they are barred on the grounds of unsuitably. Barring them on this ground prevents them from working in the education sector in any capacity and also disqualifies them from working with children in other sectors.

Child Protection

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to her oral statement of 19 January 2006,  Official Report, columns 966-70, on safeguarding children, for what reason each of the 210 people are on List 99; and what type of ban each person is under.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 24 January 2006
	As my predecessor said in her statement of 19 January there are 210 people listed on List 99 as being partially barred. She made clear at the time of her statement that an expert panel would review all cases involving a sexual offence or allegation which resulted in a decision not to include on List 99, or which resulted in a restriction or partial bar. Sir Roger Singleton's panel, the membership of which she announced in her statement of 1 March, will conduct a review of all cases resulting in a partial bar or restriction and will be reporting back in due course.
	Broadly speaking there are three categories of behaviour which cover the 210 individuals on List 99 with restrictions on their employment; 204 are on the list on grounds of misconduct, which may relate to sexual or non-sexual impropriety and 6 for health reasons.
	I should add that under previous legislation an individual identified as a risk to a particular age group or gender could have a restriction imposed preventing them from working with that particular group, but not with others outside of that group. However, under current legislation (introduced in October 2000) if an individual is perceived to be a risk to children they are barred on the grounds of unsuitably. Barring them on this ground prevents them from working in the education sector in any capacity and also disqualifies them from working with children in other sectors.

City Academies

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the projected capital cost is of each of the City Academies that were announced as being in the pipeline in the press release issued on 16 March.

Jim Knight: 27 Academies are currently open. Of the remaining 73 Academy projects announced as being in the pipeline, 23 have signed funding agreements which include a figure for the capital cash limit. Those figures are:
	
		
			  Academy  Current agreed capital cash limit (£)  Total planned pupil numbers  Capital cash limit per (projected) pupil (£) 
			 Westminster 30,200,082 1,175 25,702 
			 Petchey (Hackney) 34,214,999 1,200 28,512 
			 John Madejski (Reading) 27,656,303 1,100 25,142 
			 Sandwell 27,149,860 1,200 22,625 
			 Paddington 31,175,682 1,175 26,532 
			 North Liverpool City 32,552,363 1,750 18,601 
			 Grace (Solihull) 31,278,736 1,350 23,169 
			 David Young Community (Leeds) 23,700,000 1,170 20,256 
			 Barnsley 25,506,332 1,150 22,179 
			 Thomas Deacon (Peterborough) (1) 46,431,203 2,200 21,105 
			 St. Matthew (Lewisham) 30,856,162 1,345 22,941 
			 Samworth Enterprise (Leicester) 19,501,915 1,046 18,644 
			 Harris Academy at South Norwood 34,491,000 1,300 26,532 
			 The Bridge (Hackney) 34,688,469 1,150 30,164 
			 Oasis (Immingham) 24,999,582 1,150 21,739 
			 Oasis (Wintringham) 23,751,543 1,100 21,592 
			 Oasis (Enfield) 29,295,641 1,150 25,474 
			 Folkestone 36,651,169 1,480 24,764 
			 Bradford 20,471,117 1,150 17,801 
			 Walthamstow 29,950,551 1,150 26,044 
			 Sheffield Park 29,000,000 1,300 22,308 
			 Sheffield Springs 27,300,000 1,300 21,000 
			 Leigh (Dartford) 36,590,284 1,500 24,394 
			 Langley (Slough) 31,000,000 1,150 26,957 
			 Average 29,933,875 1,281 23,370 
			 (1) Thomas Deacon Academy replaces 3 existing schools. 
		
	
	It is not possible to give an estimated capital cost for Academies which are still only in feasibility, as these may change in terms of their size, scope and location. However, the average cost of a completed Academy with 1,300 pupils and a sixth form in a high-cost inner-city area is £25-30 million. The average cost of a new secondary school of this size and location is similarly £25-30 million. For example, the average cost per pupil of new build voluntary aided schools which the Department is currently funding is £23,886, and the total cost of these new VA schools ranges up to £35,578,800.

Classroom Assistants

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his policy is on the use of classroom assistants to cover for the planning, preparation and assessment time allocated to a school's fully qualified teachers; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: It is for schools to determine what arrangements they make to staff classes when teachers may be out of the classroom having their planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time. A number of options are available to them, including using other teachers and support staff (such as teaching assistants). We and the other signatories to the National Agreement on Raising Standards and Tackling Workload, believe that well-trained and experienced support staff (such as higher level teaching assistants), can, under the direction and supervision of a teacher, play a valuable role in taking whole classes, while teachers are undertaking PPA activities. However, we are absolutely clear that teachers and support staff are not interchangeable.
	Where support staff do take whole classes, they will be able to help pupils progress with their learning, based on their knowledge of the learning outcomes planned by the classroom/subject teacher. We have made clear, through the regulations and guidance that we have published, that head teachers must satisfy themselves that support staff carrying out this role are suitably trained, and have the relevant skills, expertise and experience.

Connexions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much the Connexions Card Project has cost; how much  (a) has been paid and (b) remains to be paid to Capita for the IT component of the project; and how many cards have been issued in each year since the scheme has been in operation, broken down by local authority.

Beverley Hughes: The total cost of the Connexions Card Project up to 17 May 2006 is £72.38 million of this, £66.14 million has been paid to Capita. The IT element of the Connexions Card service is not paid for as a separate element. The remaining Connexions Card budget for payment to Capita is £41.48 million until December 2008.
	The following table shows how many cards were issued each year from the start of the project in 2001 to April 2006, broken down by local authority.
	
		
			  Local education authority  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  Grand Total 
			 Barking and Dagenham — 104 424 291 575 70 1,464 
			 Barnet — 4,050 1,966 949 1,232 242 8,439 
			 Barnsley — 1 56 247 909 245 1,458 
			 Bath and North East Somerset — 1,155 617 42 623 80 2,517 
			 Bedfordshire — 2,800 4,690 1,855 1,381 621 11,347 
			 Bexley — 1,717 417 472 1,024 994 4,624 
			 Birmingham — 188 3,047 1,816 4,554 2,237 11,842 
			 Blackburn with Darwen — 492 375 506 656 440 2,469 
			 Blackpool — 1 1 12 1,649 11 1,674 
			 Bolton — 1,487 770 1,025 2,271 179 5,732 
			 Bournemouth — 610 203 312 955 298 2,378 
			 Bracknell Forest — 1,216 396 431 609 112 2,764 
			 Bradford — 703 2,057 1,717 1,407 263 6,147 
			 Brent — 120 1,706 780 1,346 183 4,135 
			 Brighton and Hove — 2,451 2,061 3,568 1,752 389 10,221 
			 Bristol City of — 1,136 483 1,051 2,977 1,053 6,700 
			 Bromley — 1,917 1,218 2,905 2,329 531 8,900 
			 Buckinghamshire — 680 1,791 1,916 1,042 513 5,942 
			 Bury — 1,640 1,151 1,342 1,730 487 6,350 
			 Calderdale — 185 920 464 585 877 3,031 
			 Cambridgeshire — 782 2,404 1,281 4,220 875 9,562 
			 Camden — 1,093 489 482 766 131 2,961 
			 Cheshire — 708 2,334 3,767 3,672 1,408 11,889 
			 City of London — — 7 1 5 3 16 
			 Cornwall — 3,833 1,902 1,928 2,901 964 11,528 
			 Coventry — 695 2,602 724 2,210 78 6,309 
			 Croydon — 520 947 1,925 1,860 650 5,902 
			 Cumbria — 1,861 1,975 1,822 3,127 381 9,166 
			 Darlington 5 166 7,433 648 640 364 9,256 
			 Derby — 41 486 373 1,479 585 2,964 
			 Derbyshire — 2,089 2,165 1,845 3,273 391 9,763 
			 Devon — 4,022 4,921 2,285 4,291 227 15,746 
			 Doncaster — 336 1,163 1,038 1,274 119 3,930 
			 Dorset — 1,789 935 437 1,129 66 4,356 
			 Dudley — 1,498 1,458 948 2,108 405 6,417 
			 Durham 599 2,592 3,945 3,782 4,993 1,385 17,296 
			 Ealing — 430 1,021 1,204 1,536 352 4,543 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire — 1,146 2,214 1,161 1,436 552 6,509 
			 East Sussex — 708 418 1,690 1,846 619 5,281 
			 Enfield — 2,541 4,237 2,791 2,851 681 13,101 
			 Essex — 3,131 12,948 10,549 11,497 2,787 40,912 
			 Gateshead 281 828 849 479 859 206 3,502 
			 Gloucestershire — 606 1,594 4,425 4,874 1,576 13,075 
			 Greenwich — 847 1,639 744 1,714 980 5,924 
			 Hackney 1 374 377 454 531 77 1,814 
			 Halton — 826 198 178 786 265 2,253 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham — 1 407 5,180 1,145 174 6,907 
			 Hampshire — 391 5,770 5,815 9,055 2,764 23,795 
			 Haringey — 443 708 830 592 310 2,883 
			 Harrow — 1 293 1,988 4,375 1,146 7,803 
			 Hartlepool — 626 1,560 305 921 490 3,902 
			 Havering — 2,615 1,394 2,001 781 1,655 8,446 
			 Herefordshire — 52 443 295 174 437 1,401 
			 Hertfordshire — 1,971 5,865 5,393 7,343 1,776 22,348 
			 Hillingdon — 580 928 1,578 1,481 571 5,138 
			 Hounslow — 1,064 1,109 730 2,311 1,014 6,228 
			 Isle of Wight — 1,002 805 841 853 123 3,624 
			 Islington — 2 37 174 235 163 611 
			 Kensington and Chelsea — 84 1,015 372 867 92 2,430 
			 Kent — 6,575 7,690 7,079 8,582 2,109 32,035 
			 Kingston upon Hull City of — 1,385 1,785 1,484 2,645 697 7,996 
			 Kingston upon Thames — 412 39 669 333 100 1,553 
			 Kirklees — 728 453 591 834 203 2,809 
			 Knowsley — 1,079 1,817 18 416 517 3,847 
			 Lambeth — 505 672 471 477 90 2,215 
			 Lancashire — 1,465 1,037 1,274 5,449 3,137 12,362 
			 Leeds — 2,638 2,312 2,317 2,760 789 10,816 
			 Leicester — 5,387 3,578 2,334 2,362 959 14,620 
			 Leicestershire — 2,903 812 2,237 4,176 1,942 12,070 
			 Lewisham — 1,199 612 1,289 1,527 711 5,338 
			 Lincolnshire — 2,291 4,150 4,032 4,011 794 15,278 
			 Liverpool — 1,601 1,825 1,900 1,312 1,059 7,697 
			 Luton — 4 75 1,448 2,493 668 4,688 
			 Manchester — 13 1,446 1,154 1,895 1,355 5,863 
			 Medway — 2,481 3,388 1,131 2,022 499 9,521 
			 Merton — 311 165 784 1,251 115 2,626 
			 Middlesbrough 915 490 1,535 980 1,101 453 5,474 
			 Milton Keynes — 569 342 797 650 321 2,679 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 552 5,410 1,466 2,560 1,866 104 11,958 
			 Newham — 3 388 1,447 3,226 289 5,353 
			 Norfolk — 3,631 1,257 2,822 4,117 664 12,491 
			 North East Lincolnshire — 1,104 2,020 2,365 792 862 7,143 
			 North Lincolnshire — 1,252 1,763 978 614 1,911 6,518 
			 North Somerset — 347 147 545 1,443 233 2,715 
			 North Tyneside 792 665 1,772 888 682 645 5,444 
			 North Yorkshire — 1,796 1,067 1,574 2,152 974 7,563 
			 Northamptonshire — 3,628 4,980 3,771 3,677 1,242 17,298 
			 Northumberland 4 2,213 2,144 1,820 2,616 1,081 9,878 
			 Nottingham — 2,211 1,013 1,961 2,160 765 8,110 
			 Nottinghamshire — 3,645 3,830 3,218 5,168 848 16,709 
			 Oldham — 208 488 765 1,124 223 2,808 
			 Oxfordshire — 1,704 1,466 2,028 2,254 3,190 10,642 
			 Peterborough — 817 2,034 1,237 804 329 5,221 
			 Plymouth — 977 1,589 1,182 681 77 4,506 
			 Poole — — 177 165 243 149 734 
			 Portsmouth — 2 781 686 856 298 2,623 
			 Reading — 239 296 1,004 854 132 2,525 
			 Redbridge — 429 475 1,504 1,510 495 4,413 
			 Redcar and Cleveland — 1,442 1,908 1,353 1,112 513 6,328 
			 Richmond upon Thames — 3,614 1,423 2,821 2,034 77 9,969 
			 Rochdale — 634 505 942 916 413 3,410 
			 Rotherham — 175 1,101 1,359 1,074 142 3,851 
			 Rutland — 1 52 4 53 5 115 
			 Salford — 804 2,883 1,611 2,231 1,042 8,571 
			 Sandwell — 795 302 691 1,536 406 3,730 
			 Sefton — 1,390 1,076 1,383 829 447 5,125 
			 Sheffield — 678 1,573 1,570 2,464 913 7,198 
			 Shropshire — 648 1,130 1,286 1,536 185 4,785 
			 Slough — 120 760 474 407 450 2,211 
			 Solihull — 622 171 255 582 29 1,659 
			 Somerset — 746 800 864 2,932 243 5,585 
			 South Gloucestershire — 2,828 1,690 533 855 180 6,086 
			 South Tyneside 1 217 679 350 2,522 199 3,968 
			 Southampton — 1 13 2,960 315 424 3,713 
			 Southend-on-Sea — 283 647 460 969 49 2,408 
			 Southwark — 11 618 310 2,141 366 3,446 
			 St. Helens — 8 745 1,055 691 532 3,031 
			 Staffordshire — 1,430 2,893 5,306 3,428 974 14,031 
			 Stockport — 45 3,077 209 2,778 71 6,180 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 766 901 2,621 990 1,504 775 7,557 
			 Stoke-on-Trent — 486 1,388 856 462 230 3,422 
			 Suffolk — 836 1,984 2,236 3,563 618 9,237 
			 Sunderland 711 2,285 1,069 1,515 1,971 498 8,049 
			 Surrey — 2,978 7,300 6,606 6,021 1,365 24,270 
			 Sutton — 636 324 1,302 2,406 775 5,443 
			 Swindon — 34 2,620 1,200 991 474 5,319 
			 Tameside — 308 365 121 780 1,843 3,417 
			 Telford and Wrekin — 74 935 594 880 193 2,676 
			 Thurrock — 31 14 31 559 158 793 
			 Torbay — 451 413 194 922 507 2,487 
			 Tower Hamlets — 3 2,337 585 1,399 579 4,903 
			 Trafford — 38 328 1,074 1,405 141 2,986 
			 Wakefield — 110 1,248 1,063 1,800 529 4,750 
			 Walsall — 306 3,143 413 1,255 572 5,689 
			 Waltham Forest — 170 328 892 634 406 2,430 
			 Wandsworth — 146 778 1,460 1,358 468 4,210 
			 Warrington — 756 251 362 606 251 2,226 
			 Warwickshire — 2,049 2,468 2,158 1,611 1,065 9,351 
			 West Berkshire — 400 1,933 3,394 1,128 130 6,985 
			 West Sussex — 507 1,730 1,877 3,329 750 8,193 
			 Westminster — 4 433 450 768 224 1,879 
			 Wigan — 1,746 1,391 899 1,757 546 6,339 
			 Wiltshire — 115 1,033 664 803 464 3,079 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead — 567 311 811 520 40 2,249 
			 Wirral — 1,536 2,285 1,559 2,473 914 8,767 
			 Wokingham — 883 540 437 653 189 2,702 
			 Wolverhampton — 336 304 113 3,270 600 4,623 
			 Worcestershire — 408 593 935 2,507 389 4,832 
			 York — 74 739 456 529 205 2,003 
			 GO region/ partnership/LEA no/primary LC not set — 489 465 756 3,049 411 5,170 
			 Grand total 4,627 163,419 233,947 220,472 289,070 91,665 1,003,200

Connexions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many learning centres are distributing the Connexions Card; and how many of them are returning attendance data.

Beverley Hughes: 2,684 learning centres have distributed the Connexions Card and 1,301 are currently returning attendance data.

Connexions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills why the introduction of the Connexions Card was not combined with the introduction of education maintenance allowance.

Beverley Hughes: Connexions Card and education maintenance allowance are different Government projects which were introduced in different years. Elements of both were contracted out under separate tendering processes in line with Government procedure.

Connexions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the expected length is of the contract with Capita for  (a) the Connexions Card Project and  (b) the education maintenance allowance.

Beverley Hughes: The Connexions Card contract with Capita was signed in July 2001 and is due to expire in December 2008. The education maintenance allowance is a five-year contract signed in July 2003 and is due to expire 31 July 2008, with an option to extend for a further two years.

Consultants

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the reports commissioned by his private office from consultants since he took up his post.

Alan Johnson: No reports have been commissioned by members of my private office from consultants since 16 December 2004.

Consultants

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what mechanisms are in place in his Department to monitor payment of external consultants; what guidelines apply to their use; who is responsible for monitoring the cost-effectiveness of using consultants; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: There are a range of mechanisms in place for the Department to monitor payment of external consultants.
	The Department has a number of contract managers and budget officers who are delegated the responsibility for monitoring the payment of external consultants and the cost-effectiveness of using consultants, both individually and across their budgets as a whole. In addition, the Department holds a set of consultancy framework agreements which are monitored both individually and centrally.
	Contract managers and budget officers have access to web-based guidance and practical support on relevant Government policy and regulations and, specifically, on how to identify and establish the need for consultancy support, how to appoint a consultant and how to get the best from consultancy.
	Following a review in March 2005 on the engagement and use of consultants by the Department's internal audit division and the National Audit Office (NAO), a good practice guide was published by the NAO. This also forms a part of the Department's internal guidance on consultancy. A copy has already been placed in the House Library.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will answer the letter to him dated 6 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Adele Reynolds.

Alan Johnson: My predecessor responded to my right hon. Friend's letter on 3 May.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will answer the letter to her dated 16 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Joane Carr.

Alan Johnson: My predecessor responded to my right hon. Friend's letter on 3 May.

Departmental Initiatives

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the departmental initiatives for each year since 2000 which required bids for funding from  (a) voluntary organisations and (b) local authorities together with the total resource allocated to each initiative in each year; how many successful bids there were in each year; what proportion this figure represents of the total bids received; and what assessment she has made of the costs of (i) preparing bids for each initiative and(ii) assessing those bids.

Parmjit Dhanda: The following tables list money allocated to Departmental initiatives between 2000-01 and 2005-06 requiring bids from local authorities and voluntary organisations.
	
		
			  Table 1: Departmental initiatives requiring bids from local authorities (£000) 
			  Name  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  Amount spent 2005-06 
			 Independent/State Schools Partnership Scheme 1,203 387 777 778 1,646 1,399 
			 Playing for Success (1) 3,750 — 3,300 — 1,950 7,800 
			 Supported Early Retirement Scheme for Head Teachers (2) — 10,000 — — — — 
			 Primary Language Pathfinder (3) — — — 2,980 1,144 — 
			 Treatment Foster Care (4) — — — — — 2,200 
			 Secure Accommodation Capital (4) — — — — — 4,900 
			 14-19 Pathfinders (5) — — 8,814 5,861 — —- 
			 Total (4) — — — — — 16,299 
			 (1) Bids from local authorities were not taken every year. (2) This was a two year scheme but in the second year it moved from a bidding process to an allocation of funds by formula. (3) This scheme that was only run for two years. (4) Figures for earlier years can only be provided at disproportionate cost because of Machinery of Government changes to Children's Services. (5) The 14-19 Pathfinder Programme ran for the three years from 2002-03 to 2004-05 but bids were only made in the first two years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Departmental initiatives requiring bids from voluntary organisations (£000) ( 1,2) 
			  Name  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  Amount spent 2005-06 
			 Safeguarding Children Supporting Families Grant (1,2) — — 4,097 4,138 
			 Consultation Fund (1,2) — — 729 650 
			 National Voluntary Youth Organisation (1,2) 5,972 6,108 6,023 6,857 
			 Strengthening Families Grant (1,2) — — 7,771 13,667 
			 Sure Start VCS Strategic Contracts (1,2,3) 7,263 7,811 8,310 8,000 
			 Total (2) — — 26,930 33,312 
			 (1) Some grants cover a period greater than one year so money allocated to any one year is different from money bid for by voluntary organisations. (2) Figures for earlier years can only be provided at disproportionate cost because of Machinery of Government changes to Children's Services. No figures are available for 2000-01. (3) This scheme has become the Sure Start VCS Grant in 2005-06. 
		
	
	Information on the number of successful bids in proportion to the number of bids received and the costs of assessing and preparing each initiative are not kept centrally within the Department. To gather all the information required would involve disproportionate cost.

Departmental Policies

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer of30 March 2006,  Official Report, columns 1165-7W, on departmental policies, what measures are being investigated by his Department for disseminating information about the effects of his Department's policies at local level; what discussions have taken place to ensure political neutrality is maintained; what the target audience will be; and what budget will cover such operations.

Jim Knight: The Department continues to give a high priority to the release of information about education and skills in all local areas on its own research and statistics(1) website and In Your Area(2) website. Officials in the Department also work closely with the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Communities and Local Government to develop the Department's response to the Neighbourhood Statistics Service by publishing increasing levels of information about local areas on the Neighbourhood Statistics(3) website and other dissemination vehicles. The information released on these websites complies with the National Statistics Code of Practice and is objective and politically neutral. The political neutrality of data is guarded by the Department's chief statistician who reports to the Office for National Statistics on such matters. On the recommendation of the National Audit Office the Department has introduced template driven commentaries to ensure that information about local areas is accompanied by consistent and objective commentary that complies with the National Statistics Code of Practice. Additional steps have also been taken to make it clear to users of the information that the commentary accompanying statistics about local areas refers to the national picture.
	The Department provides information required by a wide ranging audience for a variety of uses. Customers include members of the public, academics, practitioners, local authorities, other front line organisations and other government departments. In this regard the Department is continually looking to improve its range of statistical products by reviewing the relevance, quality, timeliness, content and presentation of its statistical products. The content of much of the local information released to data has been developed in response to demand from customers and many of the statistics and geographies displayed are relevant to the information requirements and priorities of the Neighbourhood Statistics and Neighbourhood Renewal programmes. My Department will continue to work closely with customers including the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Communities and Local Government to increase the range of information about education and skills in all local areas.
	The release of information about local areas is covered by the Department's administrative budget with additional administrative and programme funding provided by the Office for National Statistics and Department for Communities and Local Government.
	(1) http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway
	(2) http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea
	(3 )http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the staff in his Department is  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) disabled, broken down by grade.

Parmjit Dhanda: The information is given as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Responsibility level  Male  Female  Declared disabled 
			 AA 54 46 7 
			 AO 32 68 5 
			 EO 35 65 5 
			 HEO 43 57 6 
			 SEO 44 56 3 
			 G7/6 51 49 4 
			 SCS 60 40 2 
			 Total 42 58 5 
		
	
	Departmental records of disabled staff are based solely on the voluntary declaration of disability under the Disability Discrimination Act, 1995.

Drug Abuse

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he has taken to reduce drug abuse in schools since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: Since 1997 the Department has introduced a number of measures to reduce drug abuse in schools. This has included: funding of £70 million for Local Authority School Drug Advisers and improvements in the quality of drug education; training for teachers through the drug, alcohol and tobacco training package and the PSHE certification programme; the National Healthy School programme which includes standards for drug education; and the production of guidance on all matters relating to drugs within schools and materials for classroom teachers. Additionally, in partnership with the Home Office and Department of Health, the Department has supported a major research programme to evaluate the effectiveness of a drug prevention initiative in schools and the FRANK drug awareness campaign.
	The Department is committed to reducing Class A drug use and the frequent use of any illicit drug among the under 25s. Ensuring all young people, including the most vulnerable, have access to credible drug education and information is key to this. The responsibility of schools in relation to educating and supporting young people on drug issues and ensuring schools are drug-free was made clear in "Drugs: Guidance for Schools (2004)".

Education Maintenance Allowance

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the budget was for education maintenance allowance payments in West Lancashire in 2005-06; and what proportion of post-16 students are in receipt of the allowance.

Bill Rammell: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council, who operate education maintenance allowances for the DfES and hold the information about take-up of the scheme. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive has written to the hon. Lady with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 25 April 2006:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question that asked "what the budget was for education maintenance allowance payments in West Lancashire in 2005-06; and what proportion of post-16 students are in receipt of the allowance."
	The full EMA budget for financial year 2005-06 was £425 million. EMA is a national scheme and there are no regional budget allocations. All young people who meet the criteria are eligible to receive EMA.
	By the end of March 2006, 416,184 young people nationally had received one or more EMA payment in the academic year 2005/06. Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received EMA is available at local education authority (LEA) level, but not at constituency level. In the Lancashire LEA area 10,250 young people applied, enrolled and received EMA.
	For the academic year 2005-06, we estimate that around 55 per cent. of students will be eligible for EMA on income grounds.

Home Working

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in his Department have been enabled to work from home in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The information requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	I can however confirm that home working is available to all staff in the Department for Education and Skills and currently 1,814 people can access the Department's IT infrastructure from home.

Indian Students

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students from India his Department expects to study at educational institutions in England in the next five years.

Bill Rammell: Latest data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) shows that there were 16,685 Indian domiciles enrolled at UK HE institutions (13,555 at English HE institutions) in 2004/05. The Department does not make projections of future numbers of students from individual countries.
	The Government wish to encourage Indian students and those from other countries to study in the United Kingdom. On 18 April, the Prime Minister announced the second phase of his international education initiative, which aims to attract an additional 100,000 international students to the UK and encourage partnerships between universities and colleges here and their counterparts overseas.

Learning and Skills Council

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of27 April 2006,  Official Report, column 1259W, on the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), how the estimates of redundancy costs arising from the restructuring of the LSC were calculated  (a) when the estimate was given by the LSC in evidence to the Public Accounts Committee in October 2005 and  (b) for the purposes of the figure given in the answer.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 12 May 2006
	Atthe Public Accounts Committee in October 2005my right hon. Friend the Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams) asked about
	'the redundancy costs to the LSC to date.'
	Mark Haysom replied as per the following table:
	
		
			   Statutory redundancy  Reshaping and redundancy  Total 
			 2001-02 3,083,274 — 3,083,274 
			 2002-03 307,646 — 307,646 
			 2003-04 386,408 11,799,561 12,185,969 
			 2004-05 185,995 52,996 238,991 
			 2005-06 105,231 16,007 121,238 
			 Total 4,068,554 11,868,564 15,937,118 
		
	
	Please note that the data only includes redundancy or voluntary severance payments to employees and excludes the cost of early retirement. This data excludes other associated redundancy costs such as outplacement consultants or tribunal costs as well as costs associated with the current re-structuring exercise.
	The LSC's estimated cost of £32 million for redundancy associated with restructuring is based on the maximum numbers of possible redundancies at each band level multiplied by the estimated average redundancy cost. The average redundancy was calculated by taking the greater cost for each individual of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme or four weeks salary for every year of service (actual sample of size of over 3,500 current staff), totalling these for each band and dividing by the number of cases in the sample.

Learning and Skills Council

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many members there are of learning and skills councils; and what political affiliation each has declared.

Bill Rammell: On 31 March 2006 there were 710 members of the Learning and Skills Council: this includes the LSC National Council and its 47 local Councils. Information on political affiliation is not collected. However, 107 (15 per cent.) of these declared a political activity on their application for Council membership.
	Appointments to the LSC are made through fair and open competition, in accordance with guidance issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Members are appointed on the basis of a wide range of appropriate experience, regardless of any declared political activity.

Learning and Skills Council

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether a decision has been made to transfer the powers of the learning and skills councils in London to the Mayor of London.

Bill Rammell: The Government are considering the results of the consultation on the powers and responsibilities of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. Its response to the consultation will be issued in due course.

Middlesbrough Academies

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what  (a) revenue and  (b) capital support has been provided to (i) the King's Academy, (ii) the Unity City Academy and (iii) the Macmillan Academy in Middlesbrough since their formation.

Jim Knight: The following table shows the capital support for King's, Unity City and Macmillan Academies since their formation until 31 March 2006. Capital covers the costs of construction and any further capital work.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 King's Academy (opened September 2003) 253,213 10,005,471 9,609,051 433,370 — 
			 Unity City Academy (opened September 2002) — 1,876,816 10,800,780 5,764,004 517,698 
			 Macmillan Academy (opened September 2005) — — — 171,969 821,273 
		
	
	The following table shows the revenue costs for the same period. Revenue covers the costs of establishing the Academies and then their day-to-day running costs. Running costs are comparable to other local schools as they are based on the local authority funding formula.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 King's Academy (opened September 2003) — 144,988 650,603 4,817,400 5,447,106 6,752,662 
			 Unity City Academy (opened September 2002) 93,275 508,761 4,378,682 5,525,109 6,196,624 8,044,595 
			 Macmillan Academy (opened September 2005) — — — — 169,263 4,619,188

MOSAIC

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the results of the pilot programme using MOSAIC in local learning and skills councils will be available.

Bill Rammell: A wide range of methodologies, including MOSAIC, are used to help planners and providers develop an accurate profile of their learners. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has been piloting MOSAIC and is evaluating its effectiveness. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive has written to my hon. Friend with more information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 16 May 2006:
	I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Question regarding the LSC pilot project on Mosaic.
	 Socio-economic Data
	The LSC has always used socio-economic data, through snapshot reports for each LSC region and local area. These reports, which are at a set point in time limit how the data can be used and currently does not allow a direct interface with out large datasets, such as the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). The pilot was initiated by the increased interest of local LSCs, providers and policy makers in the use of postcode analysis as a means of better understanding educational markets. Mosaic software is one such tool that provides this detailed integration and analysis.
	 Mosaic Pilot
	The Mosaic pilot project is being delivered by the Learning and Skills Network (LSN), previously the Learning and skills development Agency (LSDA) on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council. The project is trialling the use of the standard Mosaic UK package in adding value to analysis of learning and skills sector datasets, to help inform strategic planning. The research question being explored in this pilot project is;
	"How can the application of the Mosaic UK postcode classification system assist understanding of patterns of post-16 participation, retention and achievement, so as to assist local LSC planning?"
	The project objectives that have been agreed are set out below:
	To link the time series data from the post-16 education sector with Mosaic UK thereby deriving a breakdown of postcodes according to their patterns of participation, retention and achievement.
	To develop a database that enables the national, regional and local profiles to be updated annually.
	To pilot the use of Mosaic UK analysis with four local and one Regional LSC and consult on the provision of other information to provide more effective support for their respective remits, in particular those aspects relating to widening participation and raising achievement. The piloting exercise will involve support to Regional and local LSC staff from LSDA and Experian (the suppliers of Mosaic UK).
	For one local LSC already familiar with Mosaic UK, there is also an equivalent pilot exercise using Education Mosaic.
	 Potential of Mosaic within the Sector
	The application of Mosaic UK segments to learner databases, along with the development of detailed summary tables at the regional LSC level, should enable more useful intelligence to be available to providers. The potential of this work is especially promising for initiatives aimed at widening participation in a more focused and cost effective manner.
	 Project Outputs
	Detailed tables for each LSC area will be produced, alongwith a database that allows yearly updating with new LSC information. In addition a report will be produced on the impact of the analysis in the pilot LSCs.

Online Child Protection Task Force

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many meetings of the online child protection taskforce have been attended by representatives from his Department since its inception.

Parmjit Dhanda: Officials do not keep formal records of attendance at taskforce meetings but my Department has been represented at most meetings of the taskforce either by officials and/or by staff from the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta). Becta is the Department's strategic partner on technology in education.

Postgraduates

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will place in the Library a list of titles of research projects being undertaken by postgraduate students from  (a) Iran,  (b) Syria,  (c) the Sudan,  (d) China,  (e) Arab Palestine and  (f) North Korea into (i) nuclear physics, (ii) biochemistry,(iii) pollution dispersal, (iv) genetics, (v) ballistics,(vi) rocketry and (vii) explosive reactions; and if he will indicate the research funder in each case.

Bill Rammell: This information is not collected centrally.

Public Consultations

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many public consultations his Department undertook in the last 12 months; and what the cost was  (a) in total and  (b) of each consultation.

Parmjit Dhanda: A list of consultations my Department has consulted the public on can be found at www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/ Over the year 2005 the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) undertook 36 formal public consultations in orderto inform the Department's policy development. Information on the cost of each consultation and the total cost of all consultations could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Runaways

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what development projects have been established to test services for children and young people who run away or go missing from home or care.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 18 May 2006
	Following the recommendations of the SEU report on Young Runaways (2002), six development projects have tested how best to provide safe, flexible and responsive community-based services to young runaways that can be easily incorporated into mainstream children's services. We are currently analysing the evaluations from the projects in order to disseminate the lessons learned to local authorities.
	In addition, DfES is monitoring the progress of a "Talk Don't Walk" project in Warrington, funded through the 'Treasury's Invest to Save' initiative, working on similar issues for young runaways. This project will run until 2008, and lessons from this will also be disseminated.
	More widely, all local authorities have responsibilities to minimise and respond to 'missing from care' incidents as part of their wider duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their care. They are also required to appoint a senior manager to monitor missing from care incidents, so that local trends in children being absent from care can be identified and any necessary action to respond to these can be taken, to identify and address any patterns of young people going missing.

School Finance

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total schools budget is of each local education authority for 2006-07; and what proportion is delegated to schools in each authority.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not yet available. The Department is awaiting a complete dataset relating to the 2006-07 financial year. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as the information is to hand.

School Finance

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the funding per pupil in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools is in each (i) region of England and (ii) local education authority in the north-east region; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Detailed information on 2006-07 is not yet available. In 2005-06 the relevant funding was:
	
		
			   Funding per pupil (£) 
			  Government region  3-10  11-15 
			 North East 3,830 4,770 
			 North West 3,780 4,680 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 3,750 4,620 
			 East Midlands 3,610 4,430 
			 West Midlands 3,750 4,640 
			 East of England 3,670 4,530 
			 London 4,670 5,770 
			 South East 3,680 4,580 
			 South West 3,550 4,380 
		
	
	
		
			   Funding per pupil (£) 
			  Local authorities in north east region  3-10  11-15 
			 Darlington 3,710 4,600 
			 Durham 3,770 4,640 
			 Gateshead 3,810 4,850 
			 Hartlepool 3,920 4,910 
			 Middlesbrough 4,230 5,720 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 4,010 4,980 
			 North Tyneside 3,620 4,650 
			 Northumberland 3,650 4,540 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 3,860 4,770 
			 South Tyneside 3,970 4,870 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 3,780 4,730 
			 Sunderland 3,820 4,760 
			  Notes: 1. Total 2005-06 Education Revenue Funding per pupil (£s) aged 3-10 and 11-15, cash terms. Figures include the pensions transfer to EFS. 2. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of Standard Spending Assessment/Education Formula Spending (EFS) settlements. Figures include the pensions transfer to EFS. 3. Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DfES Departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to pupils aged 3-10 and 11-15 and exclude Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level. 4. The pupil numbers used to convert m figures to per pupil are those underlying the EFS settlement calculations. 5. Figures are provisional as some grants have not yet been finalised/audited. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10.

School Leavers

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils left school without basic  (a) arithmetic and  (b) English language skills in 2005.

Jim Knight: The answer to this question is based on the English and mathematics indicators that were piloted as part of the 2005 Achievement and Attainment tables.
	The following table shows the number of pupils ending Key Stage 4 without the following qualifications in mathematics or English in 2005.
	
		
			  Pupils Percentage(1) 
			 Number of Pupils at the End of Key Stage 4 633,464 — 
			 Number not achieving A* to C in GCSE mathematics 301,671 47.6 
			 Number not achieving A* to C in GCSE English 265,678 41.9 
			 Number not achieving level 2 functional mathematics 300,309 47.4 
			 Number not achieving level 2 functional English 264,333 41.7 
			 Number not achieving A* to G in GCSE mathematics 47,088 7.4 
			 Number not achieving A* to G in GCSE English 45,691 7.2 
			 Number not achieving level 1 functional mathematics 46,286 7.3 
			 Number not achieving level 1 functional English 44,829 7.1 
			 (1) Of the number of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. 
		
	
	The trend over the last ten years is of continued improvement in achievement. The 14 to 19 White Paper placed achieving functional skills in English and mathematics at the heart of the 14 to 19 phase. We will expect more teenagers to achieve five plus A* to C grade GCSEs including English and maths and will toughen the Achievement and Attainment Tables to encourage this. We will ensure that no-one can get a GCSE grade C or better without mastering the functional elements; where a teenager achieves the functional element only, we will recognise that separately.

School Statistics

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the 20 lowest performing  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools over the last five years.

Jim Knight: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

School Transport Subsidies

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he plans to issue guidance to local education authorities on the provision of transport subsidies to faith schools in their area; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department made draft guidance to local authorities on school travel available to Committee Members scrutinising the Education and Inspections Bill. This includes advice to local authorities on their duties and powers relating to travel arrangements to schools preferred on grounds of religion or belief.
	The draft guidance will be subject to formal consultation later this year, and final guidance will be published in early 2007.

Schools (Energy)

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what requirements there are for new schools  (a) to use renewable sources of energy and  (b) to maximise energy efficiency under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Parmjit Dhanda: Schools built under Building Schools for the Future need to comply with the new Part L of the Building Regulations which came into force in April 2006. It requires low and zero carbon energy sources and renewable energy to be considered and to be used where feasible on all new build projects over 1,000 square metres in size. The 2006 edition of Part L also requires buildings to be energy efficient so that they emit 25 per cent. less carbon than buildings built to the previous 2002 edition. Where it is not feasible to use low and zero carbon energy sources Part L requires an increased energy efficiency to deliver the same carbon target as would have resulted from 10 per cent. of the energy being provided by on-site renewable energy sources. Many Planning Authorities are also making the 10 per cent. contribution from on-site generated renewable energy a condition of planning.
	In addition, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive requires the energy certification of both new and existing schools over 1,000 square metres in area. This will lead to increased energy efficiency as a result of improved operational performance.

Schools (Energy)

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his assessment is of the contribution of the Building Schools for the Future programme to achieving the Government's targets on reducing carbon emissions.

Parmjit Dhanda: DfES have not made an assessment of the contribution of the Building Schools for the Future programme to achieving the Government's targets on reducing carbon emissions. However, schools built under Building Schools for the Future need to comply with the new Part L of the Building Regulations which came into force in April 2006. Part L requires buildings to be energy efficient so that they emit 25 per cent. less carbon than buildings built to the previous 2002 edition.

Southend-on-Sea (Schools)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what are the names and addresses of  (a) primary schools and  (b) secondary schools in Southend-on-Sea; what the (i) name of the head teacher and (ii) number of pupils attending is in each case; and on what date each was last inspected by Ofsted.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the information requested for maintained primary and secondary schools in Southend-on-Sea local authority. The pupil numbers are as at January 2006 (provisional).
	The head teacher names are the latest available. It is possible that the Department has not been notified of some head teacher changes.
	
		
			  School name  Street  Town  Postcode  Head teacher  Phase of education  Date of last Ofsted inspection  Total number of children 
			 Chalkwell Hall Junior School London Road Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3NL Mr. Richard Spence Primary 23 January 2006 417 
			 Chalkwell Hall Infant School London Road Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3NL Mrs. Elaine Palmer Primary 12 January 2004 313 
			 Earls Hall Junior School Carlton Avenue Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0QN Mr. Ashley Eastwood Primary 24 June 2002 355 
			 Earls Hall Infant School Carlton Avenue Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0QN Mrs. H. Foster Primary 3 December 2001 255 
			 Hamstel Junior School Hamstel Road Southend-on-Sea SS2 4PQ Mr. D. Groom Primary 5 July 2004 475 
			 Hamstel Infant School and Nursery Hamstel Road Southend-on-Sea SS2 4PQ Mrs. V. Tarte Primary 21 September 2005 439 
			 Hinguar Community Primary School Hinguar Street Southend-on-Sea SS3 9AN Mrs. Vivienne Stevens Primary 14 December 2005 262 
			 Leigh North Street Junior School North Street Leigh-on-Sea SS9 1QE Mr. M. Frampton Primary 28 November 2005 358 
			 Leigh Infant School North Street Leigh-on-Sea SS9 1QE Mrs. P. Lucas Primary 28 February 2005 266 
			 Thorpe Greenways Junior School Greenways Southend-on-Sea SS1 3BS Mr. P. N. H. Fairbrass Primary 16 November 2005 481 
			 Thorpe Greenways Infant School Greenways Southend-on-Sea SS1 3BS Mrs. D. D. Matthews Primary 13 January 2003 329 
			 West Leigh Junior School Ronald Hill Grove Leigh-on-Sea SS9 2JB Mrs. C. Woolf Primary 12 November 2001 513 
			 West Leigh Infant School Ronald Hill Grove Leigh-on-Sea SS9 2JB Mrs. Lynn Gent Primary 17 June 2002 360 
			 Bournes Green Junior School Ladram Road Southend-on-Sea SS1 3PX Mr. Rupert Snow Primary 2 December 2002 264 
			 Barons Court Infant School and Nursery Avenue Road Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 7PJ Mrs. G. Wood Primary 21 May 2001 156 
			 Heycroft Primary School Benvenue Avenue Leigh-on-Sea SS9 5SJ Mr. Chris Russell Primary 10 June 2002 416 
			 Darlinghurst Primary and Nursery School Pavilion Drive Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3JS Mr. Robert Knight Primary 20 May 2002 396 
			 Bournes Green Infant School Burlescoombe Road Southend-on-Sea SS1 3PX Mrs. A. Keech Primary 14 October 2002 180 
			 Temple Sutton Primary School Eastern Avenue Southend-on-Sea SS2 4BA Ms F. Gulley Primary 23 November 2005 744 
			 Blenheim Primary School School Way Leigh-on-Sea SS9 4HX Mrs. M. Turner Primary 24 September 2001 421 
			 Fairways Primary School The Fairway Leigh-on-Sea SS9 4QW Mrs. D. K. Allen Primary 15 September 2003 400 
			 St. Mary's, Prittlewell, C of E Primary School Boston Avenue Southend-on-Sea SS2 6JH Mrs. Frances E. Neil Primary 1 July 2002 417 
			 Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School and Nursery Windermere Road Southend-on-Sea SS1 2RF Mrs. B. Frampton Primary 10 November 2003 236 
			 St. Helen's Catholic Primary School North Road Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 7AY Mrs. E. Mouchel Primary 18 September 2000 201 
			 Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School Manchester Drive Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3HS Mr. J. M. Love Primary 3 July 2002 421 
			 St. George's Catholic Primary School Eagle Way Southend-on-Sea SS3 9RN Mr. J. M. Bardy Primary 17 October 2005 207 
			 The Westborough Primary School and Nursery Macdonald Avenue Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 9BS Mrs. J. A. Davies Primary 24 January 2005 703 
			 Thorpedene Infants' School Delaware Road Southend-on-Sea SS3 9NP Mrs. A. M. Meek Primary 8 September 2003 241 
			 Thorpedene Junior School Delaware Road Southend-on-Sea SS3 9NP Mr. M. Williams Primary 5 November 2001 331 
			 Prince Avenue Primary Foundation School and Nursery Hornby Avenue Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0LG Mrs. J. Watson Primary 7 March 2005 368 
			 Milton Hall Primary School and Nursery Salisbury Avenue Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 7AU Mrs. M. Haynes Primary 15 March 2004 470 
			 Porters Grange Primary School and Nursery Lancaster Gardens Southend-on-Sea SS1 2NS Mrs. R. Ferdinand Primary 17 March 2003 490 
			 Bournemouth Park Primary School Bournemouth Park Road Southend-on-Sea SS2 5JN Mrs. A. Hutchinson Primary 29 March 2006 533 
			 Richmond Avenue Primary School Richmond Avenue Southend-on-Sea SS3 9LG Mrs. Bronwyn Smith Primary 19 October 2005 398 
			 Friars Primary School and Nursery Constable Way Southend on Sea SS3 9XX Mrs. Ann Germanacos Primary 1— 475 
			 Eastwood Primary School Rayleigh Road Leigh-on-Sea SS9 5UT Mr. Philip Davies Primary 1— 394 
			 Edwards Hall Primary School Bosworth Road Leigh-on-Sea SS9 5AB Mrs. Linda Wells Primary 1— 466 
			 Shoeburyness High School Caulfield Road Southend-on-Sea SS3 9LL Mrs. Susan Murphy Secondary 16 November 2005 1,548 
			 The Prittlewell Technology College Prittlewell Chase Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0RT Mrs. Denise Allen Secondary 8 February 2006 902 
			 The Thorpe Bay School Southchurch Boulevard Southend-on-Sea SS2 4UY Ms Jean Alder Secondary 28 November 2005 565 
			 Belfairs High School Highlands Boulevard Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3TG Mr. J. R. Duprey Secondary 15 October 2001 1,242 
			 Southend High School for Boys Prittlewell Chase Southend-on-Sea SS0 0RG Mr. M. Frampton Secondary 1 February 2006 938 
			 St. Thomas More High School for Boys Kenilworth Gardens Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0BW Mr. F. Keenan Secondary 23 November 2005 978 
			 Cecil Jones College Eastern Avenue Southend-on-Sea SS2 4BU R. Hellen Secondary 17 September 2001 1,573 
			 St. Bernard's High School and Arts College Milton Road Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 7JS Mrs. Patricia Barron Secondary 21 January 2002 864 
			 Westcliff High School for Boys Kenilworth Gardens Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0BP Mr. A. J. Baker Secondary 7 February 2005 1,000 
			 The Eastwood School (11-18) Rayleigh Road Leigh-On-Sea SS9 5UT Mr. D. Penketh Secondary 3 November 2003 966 
			 Westcliff High School for Girls Kenilworth Gardens Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0BS Dr. P. B. Hayman Secondary 19 January 2004 1,028 
			 Southend High School for Girls Southchurch Boulevard Southend-on-Sea SS2 4UZ Mr. David Mansfield Secondary 11 November 2002 996 
			 (1) These schools opened relatively recently and have not yet been inspected by Ofsted.

Teaching

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the starting salary of a  (a) teacher and  (b) classroom assistant in Hartlepool constituency was in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2005.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold local information about teachers or support staff pay. The School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document sets out national pay scales for teachers. From April 1997 the minimum starting salary for qualified teachers with a good honours degree was £14,280 and from December 1997 was £14,463. From April 2005 the minimum starting salary for a qualified teacher was £19,023 and from September 2005 was £19,161.
	Salaries for support staff are determined locally and records are not available centrally with regard to the Single Status Agreement which was introduced by the National Joint Council for local government services.

Teaching

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list which maintained schools teach Mandarin.

Jim Knight: holding answer 17 May 2006
	Information is not collected on the subjects taught in schools. However, it is possible to provide figures on the number of schools where at least one pupil has been entered for a particular subject. It is not possible, however, to say whether the school has actually taught the subject or whether the pupil has been entered privately.
	The number of maintained schools where at least one 15-year-old(1) pupil was entered for a GCSE full course in Chinese(2) in 2005(3) was 500. A full list of these schools has been placed in the House Library.
	(1) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31 August.
	(2 )GCSE Chinese qualifications are accessible to both Mandarin and Cantonese speakers.
	(3) Includes attempts by these pupils in previous academic years.

Teaching

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in maintained schools in England are being taught Mandarin.

Jim Knight: holding answer 15 May 2006
	The Department does not hold information on how many children learn languages, only the number taking these exams in England. In 2005 there were 822 15-year-olds(1,2) taking GCSE Chinese(3) in maintained schools.
	(1) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31 August.
	(2) Includes attempts by these pupils in previous academic years.
	(3) GCSE Chinese qualifications are accessible to both Mandarin and Cantonese speakers.

Teaching

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many mathematics teacher vacancies there are in each  (a) local authority area and  (b) region in England; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 May 2006
	The following table provides the number of mathematics teacher vacancies in maintained secondary schools by local authority and Government office region, in January 2005 and January 2006. Information for 2006 is provisional and is not yet available at local authority level.
	The mathematics vacancy rate in maintained secondary schools in England for January 2005 was1.2 per cent. compared to the provisional 2006 figure of 1.0 per cent.
	
		
			  Number of full-time and part-time mathematic teacher vacancies( 1)  in maintained secondary schools in England, January 2005 and 2006 
			  Vacancies 
			   2005  2006( 2) 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Full-time  Part-time 
			 Darlington 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Hartlepool 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Middlesbrough 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Stockton on Tees 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Durham 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Northumberland 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Gateshead 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 North Tyneside 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 South Tyneside 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Sunderland 4 0 n/a n/a 
			 North East 9 0 7 1 
			  
			 Blackburn with Darwen 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Blackpool 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Halton 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Warrington 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Cheshire 0 1 n/a n/a 
			 Cumbria 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Bolton 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Bury 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Manchester 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Old ham 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 Rochdale 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Salford 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 Stockport 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Tameside 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Trafford 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Wigan 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Lancashire 13 0 n/a n/a 
			 Knowsley 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Liverpool 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 St. Helens 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Sefton 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Wirral 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 North West 32 1 11 0 
			  
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 City of Kingston Upon Hull 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 North East Lincolnshire 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 North Lincolnshire 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 York 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 North Yorkshire 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Barnsley 2 1 n/a n/a 
			 Doncaster 4 0 n/a n/a 
			 Rotherham 1 1 n/a n/a 
			 Sheffield 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 Bradford 2 1 n/a n/a 
			 Calderdale 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Kirklees 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Leeds 7 1 n/a n/a 
			 Wakefield 0 1 n/a n/a 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 27 5 18 3 
			  
			 Derby 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Leicester 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Nottingham 4 0 n/a n/a 
			 Rutland 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Derbyshire 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Leicestershire 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Lincolnshire 1 1 n/a n/a 
			 Northamptonshire 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Nottinghamshire 5 0 n/a n/a 
			 East Midlands 16 1 12 1 
			  
			 Herefordshire 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Stoke on Trent 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Telford and Wrekin 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Shropshire 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Staffordshire 4 0 n/a n/a 
			 Warwickshire 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Birmingham 5 0 n/a n/a 
			 Coventry 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Dudley 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Sandwell 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Solihull 2 1 n/a n/a 
			 Walsall 5 1 n/a n/a 
			 Wolverhampton 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Worcestershire 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 West Midlands 31 2 24 5 
			  
			 Luton 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Peterborough 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Southend on Sea 2 1 n/a n/a 
			 Thurrock 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Bedfordshire 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 Cambridgeshire 3 1 n/a n/a 
			 Essex 6 0 n/a n/a 
			 Hertfordshire 10 1 n/a n/a 
			 Norfolk 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 Suffolk 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 East of England 31 3 34 2 
			  
			 Camden 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 City of London 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Hackney 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Haringey 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Islington 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Lambeth 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Lewisham 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Newham 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 Southwark 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Tower Hamlets 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Wandsworth 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 City of Westminster 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Barking and Dagenham 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Barnet 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Bexley 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 Brent 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Bromley 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Croydon 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Ealing 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Enfield 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 Greenwich 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Harrow 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 Havering 4 0 n/a n/a 
			 Hillingdon 5 0 n/a n/a 
			 Hounslow 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Merton 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Redbridge 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Richmond upon Thames 4 0 n/a n/a 
			 Sutton 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Waltham Forest 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 London 41 0 34 2 
			  
			 Bracknell Forest 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Brighton and Hove 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Isle of Wight 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Medway 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Milton Keynes 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Portsmouth 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Reading 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Slough 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Southampton 3 0 n/a n/a 
			 West Berkshire 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Wokingham 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Buckinghamshire 8 0 n/a n/a 
			 East Sussex 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Hampshire 3 2 n/a n/a 
			 Kent 3 2 n/a n/a 
			 Oxfordshire 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Surrey 4 1 n/a n/a 
			 West Sussex 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 South East 34 5 44 2 
			  
			 Bath and North East Somerset 0 1 n/a n/a 
			 Bournemouth 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 City of Bristol 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 North Somerset 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Plymouth 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Poole 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 South Gloucestershire 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Swindon 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Torbay 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Cornwall 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Devon 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Dorset 1 0 n/a n/a 
			 Gloucestershire 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 Somerset 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Wiltshire 2 0 n/a n/a 
			 South West 10 1 8 1 
			  
			 England 231 18 192 17 
			 n/a = not available (1) Advertised vacancies for permanent appointments (or appointments of at least one term's duration). Posts filled by somebody on a contract of a term or more are not counted as being vacant. (2) Provisional  Source: Survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, 618g.

University Staff (Pay Dispute)

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that the pay dispute involving university academic staff does not have an adverse impact on students.

Bill Rammell: It is a matter for higher education institutions (HEIs) to consider how best they can minimise the adverse effects on students of the current dispute, including making contingency arrangements for examinations and other assessments. HEIs, as autonomous bodies, are responsible for determining their own academic and administrative affairs, including deciding what to pay their own staff. Pay and conditions of service are subject to negotiations between employers, their staff and their representative trade union bodies. The Government plays no part in this.
	While this is a matter for unions and employers, I am disappointed that this has come to industrial action and that students' progress is being threatened by this dispute. The employers have made an offer of 12.6 per cent. over three years, which I believe the academic unions should now formally put to their members with a view to ending this damaging dispute.

Unspent Budget

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much of the budget for his Department remained unspent in the 2005-06 financial year.

Alan Johnson: The 2006 Departmental Annual Report (Cm 6812) published on 16 May shows an estimated outturn of £30,342 million for programmes lying within the Departmental Expenditure Limit. This gives an overall underspend of £468 million—approximately 1.5 per cent. of the Department's budget. The majority of the underspend relates to capital programmes where resource has been committed to local authorities, schools and others but will not now be spent until 2006-07. Final figures for the year will be published in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper in July.

Violence

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the incidence of reported violence towards  (a) staff and  (b) pupils was in the 100 (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools with the (A) highest and (B) lowest percentage of children receiving free school meals in each of the last three years.

Jim Knight: The information requested has been placed in the House Library.

Young Carers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to ensure that further and higher education establishments support young carers.

Bill Rammell: Further and higher education institutions are self-governing independent bodies. Each institution is responsible for its own arrangements to widen participation and to facilitate their students' access to learning. Most institutions provide a range of student services for existing students who need particular help.
	Carers may also be eligible for financial support from further and higher education establishments. Awards from the Learner Support Fund are made by further education colleges on the basis of individual need, using locally defined criteria. For students in higher education, the Access to Learning Fund, a non- repayable discretionary fund, covers students with caring responsibilities. Information on the extent to which young carers have benefited from these funds is not collected at national level.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Ministerial Duties

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times he has visited Wales on official duties in the past 12 months; and for what purposes.

John Prescott: holding answer 11 May 2006
	I have not visited Wales on official duties in the past 12 months.

Ministerial Office/Staff

Theresa May: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many civil servants work in  (a) his private office and  (b) his office; where they are located; and where his ministerial office is located;
	(2)  how much the relocation of his ministerial office and staff cost.

John Prescott: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Jeremy Wright) on 17 May 2006,  Official Report, column 983W. These administrative support arrangements are still being finalised.

Ministerial Responsibilities

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his responsibilities as Deputy Prime Minister give rise to a budget for  (a) entertainment and  (b) travel; and if he will make a statement.

John Prescott: holding answer 11 May 2006
	I shall continue to receive a budget in the usual way to enable me to carry out the role that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has asked me to fulfil.

Ministerial Responsibilities

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2006,  Official Report, column 983W, on ministerial responsibilities, what the forecast total annual cost to the public purse is of the execution of his duties and responsibilities for each of the next three years.

John Prescott: The administrative arrangements to support me in the role that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has asked me to fulfil are still being finalised.

Surveys

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will co-ordinate across Government Departments measures to reduce the number of surveys sent to private businesses.

John Prescott: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 984-86W.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Anhydrite Mines

Iain Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2006,  Official Report, column 924W, on anhydrite mines, how many bids there were for funding in the current round of the Land Stabilisation Programme; what the total amount was of such bids; and what the total value is of the Land Stabilisation Programme.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Since 1 April 2005 English Partnerships has received two applications for funding totalling £4.16 million through the Land Stabilisation Programme.
	The current Land Stabilisation Programme budget is £236 million, which encompasses expenditure since the start of the Programme in 1999 and funding already committed and forecast to the end of the Programme in 2011.

Areas of Great Landscape Value

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans the Government have  (a) to remove and  (b) to abolish Areas of Great Landscape Value designation.

Yvette Cooper: Areas of Great Landscape Value are local designations established by local authorities. Government policy on such designations is set out in Planning Policy Statement 7 (PPS7) Sustainable Development in Rural Areas (2004). While recognising the value of local landscapes, the Government believe that carefully drafted criteria-based policies in development plans provide sufficient protection for such areas without the need for rigid local designations that may unduly restrict acceptable sustainable development and economic activity that underpins the vitality of rural areas. Such designations should therefore only be maintained, or, exceptionally, extended where it can clearly shown that criteria-based policies cannot provide the necessary protection. PPS7 indicates that the Government expect planning authorities to consider rigorously the justification for retaining such designations when preparing local development documents, and to ensure that such designations are based on a formal and robust assessment of the qualities of the landscape concerned.

Arm's Length Management Organisations

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list the forthcoming Audit Commission inspections of arm's length management organisations.

Phil Woolas: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission. I will ask the chief executive to write to the hon. Member and to ensure the answer is made available in the Library of the House.

Brownfield Development

Greg Clark: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the statistical basis is of the estimates given in the statements on brownfield development attributed to a spokesman from his Department in  The Daily Telegraph on 22 April 2006;
	(2)  what percentage of new homes built on brownfield sites were built on previously residential land in each year for which figures are available.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The estimates given in the statement were based on information from Land Use Change Statistics (LUCS). The latest LUCS show that in 2004, 72 per cent. of new dwellings, including conversions, were built on brownfield land (technically known as 'previously-developed' land). Claims that two-thirds of new dwellings built on brownfield land are on gardens are contradicted by the statistics in LUCS.
	Of the dwellings built on brownfield land in 2004,22 per cent. were on land that was previously used for residential purposes (which includes buildings and the land associated with those buildings). This is 15 per cent. of all new dwellings built.
	There are no statistics on how much of this residential previously-developed land comprises the footprint of the previous homes on the site and how much is the surrounding area. Nor are there detailed statistics on what area of the land is covered by new buildings and what is surrounding open space and garden. It is therefore incorrect to suggest that even15 per cent. of new homes are built on gardens.
	LUCS are derived from information on individual sites recorded by Ordnance Survey during their map revision work and supplied to the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	Information relating to the percentages of new dwellings, including conversions, built on all brownfield land and on land that was previously used for residential purposes is set out in the following table for 1986 onwards.
	The majority of new homes built in the last few years have been on non-residential brownfield land.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   New dwellings on previously developed land as a proportion of all new dwellings, including conversions  New dwellings on previously residential land as a proportion of all on previously- developed land  New dwellings on previously residential land as a proportion of all new dwellings 
			 1986 54 50 26 
			 1987 51 46 22 
			 1988 53 39 19 
			 1989 55 35 18 
			 1990 54 39 20 
			 1991 53 31 16 
			 1992 56 29 16 
			 1993 56 23 12 
			 1994 54 22 11 
			 1995 57 21 12 
			 1996 57 21 11 
			 1997 56 21 11 
			 1998 58 21 12 
			 1999 59 21 12 
			 2000 62 24 14 
			 2001 63 23 14 
			 2002 67 23 15 
			 2003 70 23 15 
			 2004 72 22 15

Casinos

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of future trends in the number of planning applications for new casinos under the Gambling Act 2005.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made no assessment of future trends in the number of planning applications for new casinos under the Gambling Act 2005. However, the Gambling Act permits only one regional, eight large and eight small casinos. The independent Casino Advisory Panel will recommend the areas where the 17 new casinos permitted by the Act should be located.

Concessionary Bus Travel

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities in the county of Tyne and Wear made representations concerning the formula used to distribute the sum of money allocated to cover the cost of the concessionary bus travel scheme announced in the 2005 Budget.

Phil Woolas: We received such representations from Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

Council Tax

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average  (a) band D and  (b) overall council tax bill was in 2005-06.

Yvette Cooper: Details of the average Band D council tax and overall council tax bill in 2005-06 in England are published in a statistical release "Council Taxes in England 2005-06", which is available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website at: http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/ctax/data/sr056.pdf.

Council Tax

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her estimate is of the number of second homes claiming a council tax discount in  (a) Torbay and  (b) Devon.

Phil Woolas: The number of properties designated as second homes and eligible for a discount in council tax as at 19 September 2005 in the Devon area (including Torbay) are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 East Devon 2,399 
			 Exeter 468 
			 Mid Devon 292 
			 North Devon 1,533 
			 South Hams 4,375 
			 Teignbridge 1,241 
			 Torridge 1,186 
			 West Devon 521 
			   
			 Torbay DA 1,550 
			 Plymouth UA 1,248

Council Tax

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will introduce proposals to make landlords of student properties liable for council tax on those properties.

Phil Woolas: The Government will consider what, if any, changes to make to the council tax system in the light of Sir Michael Lyon's Independent Inquiry into Local Government which is due to report at the end of the year.

Decent Homes Standard

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on progress towards the decent homes standard for social housing in each region of England.

Yvette Cooper: Data on the progress towards the decent homes target are measured through the English House Condition Survey. Data for 2001 are published on our website at: www.communties.gov.uk/ehcs. Updated regional data for 2003 will be published in the summer.

Departmental Initiatives

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister ifhe will list the departmental initiatives for each yearsince 2000 which required bids for funding from  (a) voluntary organisations and  (b) local authorities together with the total resource allocated to each initiative in each year; how many successful bids there were in each year; what proportion this figure represents of the total bids received; and what assessment he has made of the costs of (i) preparing bids for each initiative and (ii) assessing those bids.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Special Grants Programme provides funding for innovative work by voluntary and community organisations exploring diverse ways of involving people in improving the quality of our public spaces, and delivering on the issues to create cleaner, safer and greener communities. No bidding round was held for 2006-07. No assessment has been made on the cost of preparing or assessing bids.
	
		
			   Resources allocated (£ million)  Number of successful new bids  Percentage of successful bids 
			 2000-01 2.2 11 18 
			 2001-02 2 25 21 
			 2002-03 2 17 17 
			 2003-04 2 17 7 
			 2004-05 2.3 21 7 
			 2005-06 2 9 3 
			 2006-07 2.25 0 0

Deprivation

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to her answer of 8 May 2006,  Official Report, column 85W, on deprivation (Somerset), if she will list the areas referenced by Super Output Area code which are amongst the 30 per cent. most deprived areas of England.

Phil Woolas: A spreadsheet containing a full list of Lower Layer Super Output Areas (SOAs) that fall within the 30 per cent. most deprived SOAs in England has been made available in the Library of the House.

Home Condition Inspectors

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how he plans to monitor the performance of home condition inspectors; and what estimate he has made of the cost of conducting such monitoring.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Responsibility for monitoring the effectiveness of the performance for Home Inspectors will be a matter for the relevant Certification Scheme. Schemes will operate to standards laid down by the Secretary of State and published later this year.

Home Condition Inspectors

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether home inspectors' qualifications will need to be certified by the Award Body for the Built Environment.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Home Inspectors will be required to hold a qualification that complies with the National Occupational Standards in Home Inspection. The Diploma in Home Inspection offered by the Awarding Body for the Built Environment has been approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and is recognised by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister as delivering the appropriate Standards. It is open to other prospective awarding bodies to develop qualifications compliant with the National Occupational Standards.

Home Information Packs

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how long he estimates it will take to put together a Home Information Pack.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The Home Information Pack will need to be available before the first point of marketing of the property. We expect at this stage most Home Information Packs to be put together within five days, and we shall review that estimate in the light of the experience of practitioners as part of the dry run.

Home Information Packs

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Deputy Prime Ministerwhat assessment he has made of the likely impact on (a) house supply and  (b) house prices if sellers are required to produce a Home Information Pack.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The number of properties available for sale at any one time and the price at which they are sold will depend on a range of factors, including interest rates and the strength of the economy. Home Information Packs will help to ensure that house prices are set realistically and buyers are not faced with unexpected repair bills and other commitments they cannot afford.

Home Information Packs

Michael Gove: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many commercial insurers have agreed to provide professional indemnity insurance in relation to the contents of Home Information Packs.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Regulations to be made under part 5 of the Housing Act 2004 will provide that Home Condition Reports must be produced by a Home Inspector where work is covered by suitable indemnity insurance. Discussions with insurers indicate that such cover will be available in the market. Surveyors are able to get professional indemnity insurance for the surveys they currently carry out.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the level of participation in the dry run for home information packs (HIP) prior to June 2007; and what the legal status will be of a voluntary  (a) HIP and  (b) Home Condition Report;
	(2)  whether the dry run for home information packs will start before the Home Information Certification Scheme is in place;
	(3)  what assessment his Department has made of whether mortgage lenders will be able to take part fully in the dry run of home information packs prior to June, including participating in electronic access to the Register of Home Condition Reports.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The first phase of the dry run is already in progress with 49 organisations in England and Wales providing more than 2,500 home information packs on a voluntary basis. More than 150 organisations who plan to offer voluntary home information pack related services prior to 1 June 2007 have already approached the Department to become involved in the dry run and we expect the number to increase as we approach the second phase of the dry run.
	The legal status of a voluntary home information pack, with the exception of the home condition report, will be same now as after 1 June 2007 with all components retaining their existing indemnity. Home condition reports will not be included in voluntary home information packs until the second phase of the dry run, which is due to commence in October 2006, after the first certification scheme has been set up. This will ensure that home condition reports will only be produced by home inspectors who are members of a Government approved certification scheme.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Ministerwhat powers the Government have to delay the implementation date of home information packs.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Home information packs will be commenced by order, under the power in Part 5 of the HousingAct 2004. We expect to make such an order early in2007 in order to implement Home Information Packs on 1 June 2007.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what legal redress home buyers will have against inaccurate or misleading information in a Home Information Pack once the packs are introduced.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Under the new arrangements home buyers will have the right to rely on information in the Home Information Pack, including that in the Home Condition Report, and to seek redress against those principally responsible for its provision. Home Inspectors will need to be members of a certification scheme and to have professional indemnity insurance. We are currently discussing with industry and others the detail of how best to ensure that both sellers and buyers can action redress arrangements as quickly and simply as possible.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether  (a) the police and  (b) local authority trading standards will be responsible for enforcing the requirement to produce a home information pack before selling a home.

Yvette Cooper: Local authority trading standards officers will be responsible for enforcing the home information pack duties.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what local authority searches will be required to produce material for home information packs.

Yvette Cooper: The home information pack will include a search of the local land charges register and the standard additional enquiries that are currently contained in the Law Society form CON.29 Part 1. All these are currently required and paid for by buyers under the existing system.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she willplace in the Library a copy of the  (a) presentationand  (b) handout produced by Mr. Denis Purshousefor the seminar on home information packs on29 March 2006.

Yvette Cooper: A copy of the presentation has been deposited in the Library. There was no handout.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether  (a) home condition reports and  (b) home information packs will be required for (i) right to buy property transactions and (ii) sale or extension of a leasehold.

Yvette Cooper: As right to buy properties will not be openly marketed they will not require either a home information pack or a home condition report. However, the Government are considering whether tenants exercising their right to buy would benefit from receiving some of the information available in home information packs.
	The sale of a leasehold property will require both a home condition report and a home information pack before first point of marketing, unless they are covered by those exemptions outlined in Part 5 of the Housing Act 2004. An extension to a leasehold will not require a home information pack as the property is not being marketed.

Hotels

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many hotels registered for business rates are on the Ratings List in England; and what the average rateable value is for such a business in the Ratings List category for hotels.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 May 2006,  Official Report, column 347W. Neither the Valuation Office Agency nor the Department for Communities and Local Government make estimates of the average rateable value for such businesses.

Housing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research the Government have commissioned on the use of geographic information systems for mass appraisal of residential property in the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister commissioned, in 2003, the development of a generalised land use database (GLUD), which identifies the location of nine land use types, including residential. Further details of this ongoing work can be found on the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) website under Research and Statistics, Planning Research and Statistics, Planning Statistics, Generalised Land Use Database (URL: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1146084).
	In addition to GLUD, DCLG have explored, and continue to explore, the suitability of a range of geographic information, including commercial products, new build intelligence from Ordnance Survey and the collation of local authority planning information to improve assessments of residential development.
	The Valuation Office Agency has commissioned no research on the use of geographic information systems for mass appraisal of residential property in the last five years.

Housing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans the Government have  (a) to increase density targets for new residential development and  (b) to reclassify the brownfield designation of gardens in residential properties.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 7 February 2006,  Official Report, columns 1140-41W, and to my right hon. Friend the Member for North Tyneside (Mr. Byers) on 6 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1164W.
	We will make a final decision on this issue when we publish revised planning policy statement 3: 'Housing' later in the year.

Housing

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans there are to assist councils which do not have access to existing investment options to meet the decent homes standard.

Yvette Cooper: The Government have increased investment available for all councils to invest in their stock. Since 1997 the cash available to councils for repairs, maintenance and refurbishment has increased by 30 per cent. per house. 94 local authorities are able to meet the decent homes standard on the basis of this investment. On top of this the Government have made available further options for bringing in additional investment through Arm's Length Management Organisations, Private Finance Initiative or stock transfers. There will be a further bidding round for these options.

Housing

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what initiatives she is pursuing to encourage affordable housing developments in Easington constituency; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Government are working in partnership with local authorities in the region, including Easington district council, to achieve a better balance between housing availability and the demand for housing, including improving affordability. Among the measures which have been employed in Easington has been the successful transfer of their housing stock to East Durham Homes and successful on-going progress towards achieving the decent homes standard. The work has allowed housing which was previously vacant to be brought back into use and has improved the quality of the stock generally.
	In addition to this, the Housing Corporation have made available £7 million over the last three years to provide 140 new affordable housing units in Easington. English Partnerships are working with the Durham Coalfield Housing Renewal Partnership with strategic proposals to assist in the regeneration of settlements within the former coalfield areas. A strategy is being drawn up which should facilitate significant investment in these areas including the provision of affordable housing.
	The Government have also introduced changes to lessen the impact of Right-to-Buy through the Housing Act 2004 through extending the initial qualification period, extending the period that owners need to repay all or some of their discount and the requirement for owners selling homes within 10 years to offer the properties back to a local social landlord. The Government Office for the North East continues to work with Easington district council and other partners including the Regional Housing Board to address housing issues in the area.

Housing

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to impose sanctions on councils who do not meet the Decent Homes Standard by 2010.

Yvette Cooper: Ministers will decide on a case by case basis how best to respond to situations where councils fail to meet the decent homes standard.

Housing

Margaret Moran: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what was the level of Housing Corporation grant available for  (a) general needs housing and  (b) sheltered/OAP housing in each of the last five years.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The following table shows Approved Development Programme (ADP) expenditure for each of the past five years for social rented housing, and for rented sheltered housing for elderly people.
	
		
			  Approved development programme expenditure by year (£ million) 
			   General needs  Of which :sheltered housing for OAPs 
			 2001-02 646 34 
			 2002-03 760 41 
			 2003-04 1,171 72 
			 2004-05 1,050 52 
			 2005-06 provisional 960 57 
			 2006-08 planned 2,938 159

Housing

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many individuals resided in Government-subsidised housing in Milton Keynes in each of the last eight years.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on the number of individuals in Government-subsidised housing is not available centrally. Information on the number of council homes and Registered Social Landlord units and bed spaces is published on the ODPM website. Table 115 gives the RSL rented stock by local authority from 1997 and is available at:
	http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pub/21/Tablel15Excel96Kb_idl156021.xls
	Table 116 gives the local authority rented stock by district from 1994 and is available at:
	http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pub/22/Tablel16Excell27Kb_idl156022.xls

Housing

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much of the £970 million for shared equity housing announced by the Chancellor in his Budget statement on 21 March was new money not previously announced or budgeted for before that announcement.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The £970 million forms part of the 2006-08 Regional Housing Pot of which Regional Housing Boards recommended that around £3.9 billion be channelled through the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing Programme for the provision of affordable housing between 2006-08. The announcement provided details on how one element of the Affordable Housing Programme would be spent.

Liverpool City Council

Jane Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what resources are being deployed by the Audit Commission to ensure that Liverpool city council social services department complies with national standards of service delivery in care of  (a) the elderly and  (b) vulnerable adults.

Phil Woolas: The Audit Commission is not the body responsible for ensuring national standards are being met in Liverpool city council's social services department. That responsibility falls to the Commission for Social Care Inspection, which is the independent inspectorate in England responsible for regulating and inspecting all social care providers, whether in the public or independent sector.

Local Government

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment she has made of the impact of councillors' allowances on the efficient operation of local government in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: No assessment has been made of the sort referred to. It is a matter for each local authority to draw up its own scheme for councillors' allowances, having regard to the recommendations of its remuneration panel.

Local Government

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government are taking to ensure that local authorities are  (a) efficient,  (b) transparent and  (c) accountable.

Phil Woolas: Councils have an annual 2.5 per cent. efficiency target. A guide to the assistance available and update on the substantial progress made is contained in the report "Delivering Efficiency in Local Services: One Year On", published February 2006 and available at: www.rcoe.gov.uk/rce/aio/16537
	Local government is indeed transparent and accountable for efficiency. Annual efficiency statements are published by each council and may be accessed at: www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=l 134484

Local Government

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance the Government have given to local authorities on (a) contract compliance and  (b) imposing conditions in the procurement process unrelated to cost, quality or quantity of services.

Phil Woolas: Section 17 of the Local Government Act 1988 prevents authorities from introducing "non-commercial" considerations, such as the political affiliations of contractors, into the procurement process.
	There is a range of advice and guidance on good procurement which local authorities can draw on. Sources include the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), the Public Private Partnership Programme (the 4ps) and the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA). Specific guidance on local government procurement includes the joint ODPM/ Local Government Association 'National Procurement Strategy for Local Government'. This makes clear that council requirements can also include social, environmental and other strategic objectives that are relevant to the subject of the contract.

Local Government

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the impact on a local authority of entering into a local area agreement.

Phil Woolas: My Department has commissioned a consortium led by the Office for Public Management to evaluate the negotiation process and initial impacts of pilot and second round local area agreements (LAAs). The first report is available at http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=l161635. A second report will be published in the summer.

Local Government

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 26 April 2006,  Official Report, column 1198W, on local government finance, if she will place in the Library a copy of the accompanying manual and documentation for the toolkit in  (a) hard copy and  (b) CD-rom.

Phil Woolas: There is no manual or documentation to accompany the toolkit.

My Society

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding was allocated to My Society in each of the last five years; and what other support has been provided to the organisation.

Phil Woolas: A grant of £250,000 was allocated to West Sussex county council under the Local e-Government e-Innovations Round 1 Programme in 2004-05 for My Society.
	Further support of £163,150 was made available to the organisation through the e-Innovations Product and Marketisation strand via Kirklees MBC who were grant aided to carry out this role on behalf of the Local e-Government Programme.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will reply to question 63872, on shared equity housing, tabled by the hon. Member for St. Ives on 30 March.

Yvette Cooper: I have answered the hon. Member's question today. I apologise for the delay in replying.

Passenger Transport Authorities

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what measures are being taken by her Department to avoid a shortfall in funding for individual passenger transport authorities to cover the cost in future years of the concessionary bus travel scheme announced in the 2005 Budget.

Phil Woolas: Funding for the concessionary bus travel scheme announced in the 2005 Budget has been distributed to councils through formula grant, which is unhypothecated. It is up to councils to decide how to use their resources, consistent with delivering their statutory responsibilities. In the case of Tyne and Wear, I have had a number of discussions with stakeholders to explore whether a local solution can be found to address particular local issues.

Pedestrianised Town Centres

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of towns in England which pedestrianised their town centres and subsequently opened them up to  (a) all vehicles and  (b) buses and taxis only; and if she will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: I have been asked to reply.
	Information about the number of authorities which have been pedestrianised is not held centrally and the answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the implementation of special protection areas on the planning process.

Yvette Cooper: Special protection areas (SPAs), designated under the EC birds directive, receive statutory protection through the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994. Since 1994 planning policy has reflected the statutory protection given to SPAs, and planning permission for development which will have a significant effect on them can only be given in tightly defined circumstances. Details are set out in the joint ODPM/DEFRA circular: "Biodiversity and Geological Conservation—Statutory obligations and their impact within the planning system" (ODPM June 2005, DEFRA January 2005).
	For the Thames Basin Heaths SPA, the Government have been working in partnership with English Nature, the South East England Regional Assembly, local authorities and other stakeholders to develop a strategic approach to the assessment of planning applications that could impact on the SPA. The Government's aim is to ensure the delivery of much needed housing, while ensuring that the SPA is given appropriate protection.

Planning

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list the planning applications called in by her Department and its predecessor since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: A list of all planning applications called in by the Department for Communities and Local Government and its predecessor departments since 1 April 1999 has been placed in the Library ofthe House. Information on cases called in before1 April 1999, when the Planning Inspectorate database became operational, could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

Planning

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the amount which will be raised by the proposed planning gain supplement to fund local infrastructure.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gavethe hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on6 February 2006 , Official Report, column 1034W.

Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes the Government have made to planning fees since 2001.

Yvette Cooper: Planning fees were increased by14 per cent. in 2002 and again by an average 39 per cent. in April 2005. Fees were increased on both occasions to enable authorities to recover more of the costs of handling planning applications.

Regional Government

Michael Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the annual cost of regional-level government is for each region.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The Greater London Authority (GLA) will receive £37.868 million this year (2006-07) from central Government for the core GLA itself (through the General GLA Grant). The Mayor is also expected to raise a further £26.9 million for the core GLA from the GLA precept on London council tax payers, putting the annual cost of the GLA at £64.8 million.
	For details of 2006-07 central Government grant to the eight regional assemblies outside London, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 18 April 2006,  Official Report, column 121W.

Register of Home Condition Reports

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what private sector organisations will have access to the register of home condition reports.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Access to the registers of home condition reports will be controlled by regulations. This will be limited to buyers and sellers, their advisers and mortgage lenders, and those monitoring the performance and quality of the reports.

Register of Home Condition Reports

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions his Department has had with the Information Commissioner on the proposed register of home condition reports electronic database.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	We have discussed the proposed home condition report register with the Information Commissioner's Office, who have confirmed they are satisfied with the proposals. Access to the register will be tightly controlled by regulations. Only sellers, buyers, their advisers and mortgage lenders and those monitoring the performance and quality of home condition reports will have access.

Science Cities

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when her Department expects to be presented with implementation plans from the regional development agencies for the development of Science Cities; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
	Science Cities is a policy initiative led by the regional development agencies. RDAs are working with other Science City partners to develop detailed implementation plans for Science Cities, in line with regional economic development strategies. The six Science Cities—Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and York—will present progress reports at the Science Cities National summit, to be held in Manchester at the end of May. The summit will also provide an opportunity to share best practice and consider how national and regional policies can best support Science Cities.

Social Services

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the standard spending assessment was for social services in the south-west in each year since 1997.

Phil Woolas: The following tables show the standard spending assessment, formula spending share and relative needs formula for children's social care. Standard spending assessments were replaced in 2003-04 by formula spending shares. A new system of relative needs formulae was introduced for 2006-07. All these formulae look at an authority's relative needs on a particular service.
	The Government do not regard any of these measures as an assessment of how much an authority should spend on a particular service.
	
		
			   Standard spending assessment for personal social services (£ million) 
			 1997-98 641.764 
			 1998-99 682.035 
			 1999-2000 717.628 
			 2000-01 756.284 
			 2001-02 777.610 
			 2002-03 804.752 
		
	
	
		
			   Formula spending share for personal social services (£ million) 
			 2003-04 972.919 
			 2004-05 1,073.487 
			 2005-06 1,178.569 
		
	
	
		
			   Relative needs formula for personal social services 
			 2006-07 0.02133320314962 
			 2007-08 0.02222190453459

Social Services

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the social services standard spending assessment was for children's services in Cornwall in each year since 2001.

Phil Woolas: The following tables show the standard spending assessment, formula spending share and relative needs formula for children's social care. Standard spending assessments were replaced in 2003-04 by formula spending shares. A new system as introduced for 2006-07. The relative needs formulae look at an authority's relative need to spend on a particular service and are therefore not expressed in pounds.
	Please note that during this period none of these measures were the Government's assessment of how much an authority should spend on a particular service nor were they grant. They are simply formula based on the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of an authority.
	
		
			  Standard spending assessment for personal social services for children 
			   £ million 
			 2001-02 12.849 
			 2002-03 12.606 
		
	
	
		
			  Formula spending share for personal social services for children 
			   £ million 
			 2003-04 21.671 
			 2004-05 26.575 
			 2005-06 28.443 
		
	
	
		
			   Relative needs formula for children's social care  Relative needs formula for children's social care damping 
			 2006-07 0.00059188635792 -0.00004889798654 
			 2007-08 0.00062002479926 -0.00004368678072

Special Advisers

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many special advisers her Department will employ.

Angela Smith: My Department will employ three special advisers.

Thames Basin

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the population density is of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area.

Phil Woolas: The best approximate estimate that can be given is 1 per hectare.

Trees

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much money the Government have spent on producing research published within the Research for Amenity Trees series.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	A total of £1.95 million was spent on producing research published within the Research for Amenity Trees series. The cost for each publication is set out as follows:
	
		
			  Research for amenity trees series 
			  Number  Title  Date  Cost of research (£) 
			 1 Trees in Towns 1993 184,188 
			 2 Diagnosis of III Health in Trees 1994 (1)769,750 
			 3 Urban Tree Strategies 1994 22,400 
			 4 The Body Language of Trees—A Handbook For Failure Analysis 1995 0 
			 5 Urban Woodland and the Benefits for Local Air Quality 1996 8,920 
			 6 Arboricultural Practice: Present and Future 1997 (2)576,848 
			 7 Principle of Tree Hazard Assessment and Management 1999 (3)— 
			 8 Tree Roots in the Built Environment 2006(4) 93,700 
			 (1) Total cost of research under contract Arboriculture V shown. Not possible to disaggregate this figure. (2) Total cost of research under contract Arboricultural VI shown. Not possible to disaggregate this figure. (3) Included in number 6 above. (4) In print.

Underground Electricity Cables

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the likely additional cost of requiring new houses to be serviced by underground electricity cables.

Yvette Cooper: Most new urban houses have access to electricity services via low-voltage underground cables, although some developments in rural areas may have a mix of underground and overhead service connections.. The cost of providing underground electricity distribution lines to particular housing developments will vary from case to case. Due to the numbers and variability of new development, this information is not practical to collate centrally.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) presentation and  (b) handouts produced by Diane Leggo, Director of Council Tax for the Valuation Office Agency, for the lecture on 23 November 2005 at the CPD Foundation.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	A copy of the presentation has been placed in the Library of the House. The handouts were a copy of this presentation.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2006,  Official Report, column 826W, on housing, whether the Valuation Office Agency will have access to the Register of Home Condition reports to assist them in the performance of their statutory duties.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	No.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden of 26 April 2006,  Official Report, columns 1200-01W, on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), why publication of the VOA document "Dwellinghouse Coding—An Illustrated Guide" would breach privacy; what advice she has requested from the Information Commissioner on whether publication would breach privacy; and what categories of personal information the document contains.

Phil Woolas: The document—which is for the use of Valuation Office Agency listing officers and their staff only—contains photographs of individual properties. There is potential for the privacy of the occupiers of these properties to be breached if the illustrated guide is placed in the public domain. No advice has been sought from the Information Commissioner.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden of 27 April 2006,  Official Report, columns 1283-84W, on the Valuation Office Agency, whether the Tenet IT Mapping software includes photographic data and vector data; and what data sources are used to provide the mapping information.

Phil Woolas: The Tenet IT Mapping software used by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) does not include  (a) photographic data but does include  (b) vector data in the form of Land Line and MasterMap products.
	The source data that underpins the Tenet IT Mapping software comprises the following map layers provided by Ordnance Survey: Land Line; MasterMap; 1:10,000 Scale Black and White Raster Map; 1:25,000, 1:50,000 and 1:250,000 Scales Colour Raster Map; Postcode Map; Boundary-Line; and Address Point.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 26 April 2006,  Official Report, columns 1203-04W, on the Valuation Office Agency, if she will place in the Library a list of the 10,000 localities in England.

Phil Woolas: To list the localities is a task that would involve disproportionate cost. Each of the localities would need to be given an identifiable name—their existing reference numbers are meaningless in isolation—and this task would need to be undertaken for each of 354 local authority areas in England.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden, of 25 January 2006,  Official Report, column 2190W, on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), whether the VOA has supplied information to Ordnance Survey relating to domestic properties.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given, to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), on 25 January 2006,  Official Report, column 2190W. The Valuation Office Agency has recently supplied samples of addresses drawn from the council tax valuation list, followed by compilations of similar data covering the whole of England and Wales.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what use the Valuation Office Agency makes of people's panels for  (a) business rates and  (b) council tax purposes.

Phil Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency has not used people's panels for business rates purposes. The Agency has used them for council tax purposes to better understand council taxpayers' understanding and perceptions of the valuation and banding system and to explore reactions to communications material under development to ensure that this would achieve its objectives of being clear and readily understood.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list the  (a) data and  (b) software the Valuation Office Agency uses that is provided by Ordnance Survey.

Phil Woolas: The data provided by Ordnance Survey for use by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) in its mapping software is: Land Line; MasterMap; 1:10,000 Scale Black and White Raster Map; 1:25,000, 1:50,000 and 1:250,000 Scales Colour Raster Map; Postcode Map; and Boundary-Line. The Ordnance Survey does not provide any software to the VOA.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the guidance that the Valuation Office Agency uses to assess and value composite/mixed hereditaments.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 19 January 2006,  Official Report, column 1546W, and the answers given to him on 26 April 2006,  Official Report, column 1203W, and 8 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 79W and 96W.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Valuation Office Agency has paid in each of the last five years for  (a) products and  (b) information from Ordnance Survey.

Phil Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency pays for access to Ordnance Survey's digital mapping products. This is the only material purchased by the Agency.
	The total amounts paid by the Valuation Office Agency for these products provided by Ordnance Survey in the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2001-02 (1)— 
			 2002-03 (1)— 
			 2003-04 375,000.00 
			 2004-05 375,000.00 
			 2005-06 375,000.00 
			 (1 )Details not available—could be provided only at disproportionate cost

Valuebill Project

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what electronic data the Valuation Office Agency will receive from local authorities as a consequence of the rollout of the Valuebill project.

Phil Woolas: Electronic data the Valuation Office Agency will receive from local authorities as a consequence of the rollout of the Valuebill project is as follows:
	Billing authority name
	Billing authority identity code
	Process date (of file)
	Entry date and time (of file creation)
	Number of records
	Date sent
	The BA transaction
	BA identity number
	BA report number
	Type of tax
	Indicated date of change
	Property plan reference
	Source of update
	Remarks
	Reason for report
	The property address
	The current Valuation or Rating List entry
	Occupier contact.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Advertising

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on advertising by her Department in each of the last three years.

David Lammy: The Department's spend on advertising in each of the last three years is as follows:
	
		
			   Spend (£) 
			 2003-04 20,987 
			 2004-05 37,085 
			 2005-06 139,578

Art Theft

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the Home Secretary about the theft of stolen works of art from private collections.

David Lammy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with the Home Secretary about the theft of stolen works of art from private collections.

Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will reply to the letter of 24 January from the hon. Member for Aylesbury to the then Under-Secretary on the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on Longwick Village hall.

Shaun Woodward: I will reply to the hon. Member shortly. I am sorry that there has been a delay in responding.

Correspondence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Isle of Wight dated 15 April 2006 concerning the Osborne Estates Act 1902.

David Lammy: I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 20 May.

Departmental Advisers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been paid in  (a) salary,  (b) travelling expenses,  (c) subsistence allowance and  (d) removal expenses to special advisers in her private office in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. For information relating to the last financial year I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister on 21 July 2005,  Official Report, columns 158-61WS. Information on special advisers for this financial year is currently being collected and will be published in the normal way when it is ready.
	The following table shows available data on expenditure on travel and subsistence. An analysis by type of expenditure rating is not recorded on the Department's accounting system and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Financial year  Travel and subsistence (£) 
			 2005-06(1) 6,821.47 
			 2004-05 1,838.15 
			 2003-04 1,156.93 
			 2002-03 2,569.52 
			 2001-02 1,969.19 
			 (1 )Subject to final resource accounting. 
		
	
	All official travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

Hunting

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether  (a) she,  (b) Ministers and  (c) an official instructed that hunting be omitted from her Department's sponsored cultural icons survey.

David Lammy: No Ministers or officials in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, has instructed the editorial team at the ICONS project on what to exclude from the list of nominated items. Such decisions are entirely a matter for the project's editorial team governed by an independent Advisory Board. Fox-hunting as an icon has not been omitted from the ICONS project. Following a meeting of the Advisory Board on 4 May, fox-hunting is still under active consideration and may well feature in a future release.

Information Technology

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the  (a) originally estimated,  (b) most recently estimated and  (c) outturn cost was in each of the five largest information technology contracts agreed with outside suppliers over the last five years.

David Lammy: My Department has not agreed any information technology contracts of this kind over the last five years.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in her Department staying overnight in (i) mainland Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in each of the last three years.

David Lammy: The following table shows departmental expenditure on travel and subsistence in each of the last three years. An analysis of expenditure by nation and region is not recorded on the Department's accounting system and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Financial year  Civil servants UK T&S  Civil servants overseas T&S  Special advisers UK T&S  Special advisers overseas T&S 
			 2005-06 271,566.53 283,747.83 2,693.82 4,127.65 
			 2004-05 217,415.85 278,761.80 1,838.15 0 
			 2003-04 238,273.33 235,210.16 1,156.93 0

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discounts are available in relation to hotel accommodation used by  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in her Department.

David Lammy: While the Department can obtain Government discounted hotel accommodation rates through the hotel booking agent Expotel, the main criterion is best value for money. An analysis of full and discounted rates is not recorded on the Department's accounting system and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Municipal Sports Facilities

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effect on municipal sports facilities of increased energy prices; and if she will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	I take the recent increases in energy prices very seriously and the Government are very concerned about the impact on all sectors in the UK. In the past year global fossil fuel prices have increased and this has fed through to the UK. Over the past decade energy prices in the UK have been amongst the cheapest in the EU, but I do recognise the serious recent difficulties for all sectors. However, I remain optimistic about investment by local authorities in sports facilities, which will amount to some £1 billion over the next three years. In addition, since 1997 Government and lottery distributing bodies between them have invested over£3 billion in physical activity and sport.
	The DTI and Ofgem have been holding a number of seminars to educate energy buyers of all types about the options for purchasing gas and electricity in these times of high prices. In addition, Energywatch has set up a Business Services Team to provide information and guidance to small and medium sized enterprises, and runs a joint campaign with the Federation for Small Businesses called "Make the Connection". For the public sector, the Office for Government Commerce has been developing advice and models for energy purchasing for both local authorities and central government, and these are being rolled out nationally.

Public Service Agreement 2

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department has taken to compensate for slippage on its public service agreement 2 target; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: My Department is working closely with Arts Council England on its Delivery Plan for the current PSA 3 target. This will take account of lessons learned from the experience of work on the previous PSA 2 target.

Public Service Agreement 2

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the slippage on its public service agreement 2 target on Exchequer funding for the arts made available by the next Comprehensive Spending Review; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: No decisions have yet been taken on the outcomes of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she offers to  (a) her Department's agencies and  (b) those who receive funding from her Department on undertaking regulatory impact assessments before implementing changes of regulations; what such assessment was undertaken by VisitBritain before undertaking changes to the classification system for hotels and guest houses in England; if she will estimate the cost of such changes to the industry; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 18 May 2006
	My Department's sponsored bodies and agencies, in common with those across Government, are made fully aware of the need to assess the possible effects of changes in policy on businesses in their sectors. This includes formal Regulatory Impact Assessments where appropriate, as well as wider cross-Government work on Better Regulation. The tourism sector is also represented on my Department's Better Regulations Task Group.
	The Quality Assurance Schemes operated by VisitBritain, the Automobile Association, VisitScotland, and the Wales Tourist Board, are voluntary in nature. Participating businesses pay to be quality inspected, and derive marketing and other benefits from inclusion in the Schemes. The Schemes have, from May 2005, been improved and standardised following work commissioned by VisitBritain and led by Alan Britten CBE. Both inbound and domestic visitors now have confidence in a standardised inspection regime across Britain. This has led to some changes in classification as it affects the descriptions used by hotels and guest houses in their own signage and promotional material.
	The changes to the Quality Schemes followed wide industry consultation, and assessments of the cost and benefits to affected businesses. My Department is satisfied that the consultation carried out was more than adequate to reflect the views of affected businesses. The general consensus across the industry was that the changes in classification were highly beneficial in terms of improved consumer certainty when booking accommodation. In addition, my Department considers that the resulting changes to the VisitBritain Quality Scheme (which is funded through grant-in-aid) were primarily operational in nature. It was not, therefore, considered necessary to conduct a formal Regulatory Impact Assessment in these circumstances.

Royal Parks

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the backlog of maintenance works in the Royal Parks.

David Lammy: The Royal Parks, with DCMS, have conducted a review of the way in which the maintenance liability is assessed using BS 3811:1984 (the British standard for building maintenance). They have prioritised the list of works requiring repair and developed a works programme accordingly.
	By end June 2006, the Royal Parks will have a costed plan in place for tackling the backlog, with clear performance milestones and measures.

Royal Parks

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she has issued to the Royal Parks Agency on large-scale commercial events in the Royal Parks.

David Lammy: Ministers endorsed the Royal Parks Events Strategy in February 2004. Which was drawn up after extensive consultation with stakeholders and seeks to balance the demand for events with protecting the fabric of the parks.
	The number of major events is limited and the impact on the park and park users is always taken into account in considering possible events and weighed against the benefits that the event brings. Event organisers are required to take out a bond to fund any reinstatement necessary after an event.

Royal Parks

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what objectives she has set for the Royal Parks Agency for the next five years.

David Lammy: The Royal Parks corporate objectives for 2006-07 to 2008-09 have been set and are listed as follows:
	 The Royal Parks objectives
	To protect and enhance our "world class" natural park environment for the enjoyment of families, children and visitors;
	To understand and respond to the needs of our audiences, reflecting diversity of needs and use; enriching lives and enhancing access to culture and sport;
	To work with other organisations and volunteers to deliver clear education, health, sport and participation offers;
	To conserve and enhance the historic built environment of the Royal Parks;
	To deliver greater value for money for the taxpayer through increased income generation and reduced dependency on vote funding; and
	To demonstrate organisational excellence.

The Public (West Bromwich)

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Arts Council has to support redundant arts workers from The Public in West Bromwich.

David Lammy: Although Arts Council England was consulted about the redundancies at The Public, the decision itself was taken by the administrators. The administrators are now managing the day-to-day operation of the building and therefore have responsibility for personnel issues.

The Public (West Bromwich)

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Arts Council England has paid the firm Robin and Gorringe in relation to the arts organisation, The Public in West Bromwich, in each of the last 10 years.

David Lammy: The information requested in this question is commercial-in-confidence and should not be disclosed. In addition, as The Public is currently in administration, it would not be appropriate to release the information at this time.

The Public (West Bromwich)

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what arts activity is planned for The Public building in West Bromwich; and if she will list the works under commission.

David Lammy: Since The Public went into administration, the funders and administrators have been working together to establish a revised and sustainable business plan for the building within the funding envelope available. Work continues on this business plan.
	The following works have been commissioned for The Public:
	Access by Marie Sester
	Lanscopes by Golan Levin and Zachary Lieberman
	Flower of my Secret by Usman Haque
	Flypad by Blast Theory
	Audio Bounce by Tomas Roope, Andrew Allenson and Rolf Gelhaar Telematic
	Embrace by Paul Sermon
	Datafall by Miguel Carvalhais and Lia
	Regional Voices by Kevin Carter

Tourism

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in achieving the Government's target of increasing revenue from tourism to £100 billion per annum by 2010.

Tessa Jowell: The UK tourism industry's total revenues were £74.2 billion in 2003, the last year for which complete data are available. Although inbound tourism receipts reached a record level of £14.3 billion in 2005, the overall growth target of £100 billion by 2010 remains a stretching aspiration. My Department continues to work towards achieving the target in partnership with VisitBritain and the industry, especially in improving tourism marketing, product quality, and workforce skills.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Arms Control

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps her Department is taking to promote worldwide arms control.

Kim Howells: The Government have been at the forefront of international efforts to strengthen the regulation of the arms trade and to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We were instrumental in securing an EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, and are leading the way towards revision of the code, and we regularly urge other countries to adopt stricter and more transparent arms export policies. We are active members of all the key multilateral regimes that work to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Australia Group (which deals with chemical and biological weapons), and the Wassenaar Arrangement, which promotes transparency in conventional arms transfers. The UK is also a member of key arms control treaties, such as the Ottawa Convention on Landmines, the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.
	The Review Conference of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) is to be held this June, and the UK, in co-operation with a wide range of other partners, has made positive progress in building support for agreement there minimum common criteria to underpin controls on transfers of SALW.
	The Government are committed to pursuing an international arms trade treaty that includes all conventional arms. We believe that such a treaty needs to include a wide range of signatories, including the world's major arms exporters. We are engaging on this with other countries at various levels, including through ministerial contacts, specific events, direct expert-level talks and by using our network of overseas posts. This work will continue with the aim of building the consensus needed for the start of a formal process at the UN later this year.

Belarus

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of reports that Belarus has sold arms illegally to Iran.

Kim Howells: The Government take a close interest in all reports of arms transfers to and from countries whose current activities give rise to issues of potential concern. We are aware of media reports alleging Belarus has re-exported arms brought from Russia to Iran and are monitoring the situation.

British Indian Ocean Territories

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Mauritius on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territories; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with the Government of Mauritius on sovereignty.
	The Government do not recognise the claim by Mauritius to sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory. However, we have recognised Mauritius as the only state which has a right to assert a claim of sovereignty when the United Kingdom relinquishes it own sovereignty, and successive Governments have given undertakings to the Government of Mauritius that the territory will be ceded when no longer required for defence purposes.

British Indian Ocean Territories

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the income has been from fishing licences in the British Indian Ocean Territories for each of the last three years; and what the expected income is for  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Geoff Hoon: Income from fishing licences in the past three years in the British Indian Ocean Territory was as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Income (£) 
			 2003-04 566,318 
			 2004-05 657,844 
			 2005-06 720,641 
		
	
	Income for the financial year 2006-07, to date, is approximately £45,000. It is difficult to predict exactly the expected level of income for the rest of this year, or for 2007-08. But it is likely to be of a similar level to previous years.

China

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect upon religious  (a) institutions and  (b) activity of the new regulations on religion which came into effect in China and Tibet on 1 March 2005; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The Government are concerned about limitations on freedom of religious belief in China and the treatment of religious practitioners. We regularly raise these concerns with the Chinese Government. We assess that the regulations that came into effect in China on 1 March 2005 are aimed primarily at limiting and controlling the development of religion and religious institutions. Freedom of religion was a focus of the last round of the EU-China human rights dialogue in October 2005. The EU Troika raised freedom of religious practice in demarches on the Chinese Government in Beijing on 29 December 2005 and 15 February 2006. We will continue to raise our concerns about religious freedom with the Chinese authorities.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the prospects for a new initiative to resolve the Cyprus problem; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: A comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem remains a priority for the UK. We welcomed the recent agreement to begin bicommunal discussions on a number of issues of common concern to the two communities. But I would echo the call of the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the gap between words and actions to be bridged by the leaders of the two communities. We look forward to further developments and remain ready to do anything we can to facilitate progress towards a settlement.

Democratic Republic of Congo

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what tracking she undertakes of asylum seekers returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo after failing to be accepted into the UK.

Ian McCartney: As with returns to all countries, neither the Home Office nor the Foreign and Commonwealth Office routinely monitor the treatment of individual Congolese nationals once removed from the UK. However, our embassy in Kinshasa has found no evidence to suggest that unsuccessful asylum seekers are mistreated by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) authorities on return for claiming asylum. The DRC Government have stated that they have no policy of mistreating failed asylum seekers returning from abroad. Members of the embassy staff and official visitors regularly monitor the general security conditions and human rights situation, including for returned asylum seekers, in the DRC. They would not be removed if it were considered likely that they would suffer persecution on their return.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what monitoring her Department undertakes of the treatment of repatriated asylum seekers in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and what her latest assessment has been of their treatment;
	(2)  what evidence her Department has received of persecution of repatriated asylum seekers by the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ian McCartney: The Congolese Government have stated that they have no policy of mistreating failed asylum seekers returning from abroad. Staff from our embassy in Kinshasa and official visitors regularly monitor the general security conditions and human rights situation, including for returned asylum seekers, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They have found no evidence to suggest that unsuccessful asylum seekers are mistreated by the Congolese authorities on return for claiming asylum. As with returns to all countries, neither the Home Office nor the Foreign and Commonwealth Office routinely monitor the treatment of individual Congolese nationals once removed from the UK. They would not be removed if it were considered likely that they would suffer persecution on their return.

Departmental Budget

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the budget for her Department remained unspent in the last financial year.

Margaret Beckett: The final figure for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's budgetary spend will be published in the Provisional Outturn White Paper, which will be published before the summer recess in July. A copy of the White Paper will be placed in the Library of the House.

Diplomatic Posts

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans her Department has to improve facilities available at the British high commission in Harare; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: We plan to complete work on a new embassy in Harare in 2008, offering better public access and better and more secure working conditions for staff.

EXPO 2010

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations her Department has made for EXPO 2010 in Shanghai; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 15 May 2006
	The Chinese Government have formally invited 160 countries, including the UK, to participate in the 2010 EXPO. We are considering that invitation. UK Trade and Investment has prepared a business case for UK participation and has had discussions with a wide range of possible stakeholders including other Government Departments, Devolved Administrations, VisitBritain, the British Council, city authorities and with many private sector companies.

Gibraltar

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will publish the preamble to the new draft constitution for Gibraltar prior to a referendum being held in the territory.

Geoff Hoon: I am aware of the importance the people of Gibraltar attach to agreeing and publishing the preamble to the Constitution prior to a referendum being held. I will be discussing this matter further with the Chief Minister in London on 22 May.

HIV/AIDS (UK Citizens)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on entry restrictions for UK citizens with HIV/AIDS.

Ian McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any discussions with her US counterpart on entry restrictions for UK citizens with HIV/AIDS.

Indigenous Peoples

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the UN Convention on the collective rights of indigenous peoples.

Ian McCartney: The Government have been participating in the UN Working Group elaborating a draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples for the past 11 years. It is likely that the international community will seek action on this text at the first session of the new Human Rights Council in June 2006. The UK had a number of concerns with the original draft of the Declaration, including on the issue of collective rights, but have participated fully in negotiations and worked with partners to seek solutions to the real and difficult issues in the text for both states and indigenous peoples. We believe that the concerns of parties on both sides of this debate have now been accommodated in the draft Declaration. If the Declaration is put forward for adoption at the forthcoming session of the Council, the UK will support it.

Indonesia

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to encourage good relations between Muslims and Christians in central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Ian McCartney: Through our embassy in Jakarta and our contacts with the Indonesian embassy in London, we continue to encourage the Governmentof Indonesia to ensure freedom of religion across Indonesia. The Interfaith Dialogue Conference held in Bali in July 2005, and co-chaired by the UK and Indonesia, is one prominent example of our work in support of good relations between faiths, both in Indonesia and other Association of South East Asian nations.

Indonesia

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the Government of Indonesia about the  (a) trials and  (b) planned execution of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marianus Riwu; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 9 May 2006,  Official Report, column 179W.
	Since my reply, the Supreme Court has turned down a second appeal by the three men. The review panel reached a unanimous verdict stating that there was no new evidence to warrant a further review of the case. Unless new evidence comes to light the three have no further recourse for appeals in Indonesia.
	We will support further representations made to the Indonesian Government through the European Union.

Iran

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her  (a) US and  (b) Russian counterpart on the US Administration's call for Russia to cease its support for the Iranian nuclear reactor at Bushehr; what the UK Government's position is on the US Administration's call; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: As set out in the 5 August 2005 proposal to Iran by the Governments of France, Germany and the UK, with the support of the High Representative of the EU, the Government fully support long-term co-operation in the civil nuclear field between Iran and Russia within the context of an overall and mutually acceptable agreement on long-term arrangements.
	The Bushehr reactor issue was raised during the discussions in which I participated during my visit to New York on 9 May.
	This is part of ongoing diplomatic negotiations and it is a matter for the US, Russia and Iran.

Iran

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her latest assessment is of the threat posed to regional security by Iran's nuclear programme.

Kim Howells: The United Nations Security Council reaffirmed in Resolution 1540 that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons as well as their means of delivery constitutes a threat to international peace and security. The proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Middle East would be deeply damaging for stability and security in the region and beyond, and for the multilateral non-proliferation system.
	We have serious concerns about the nature of Iran's nuclear activities, its history of concealment and inadequate co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and its failure to take the steps that the IAEA Board and the Security Council have deemed essential. These have all contributed to the international community's lack of confidence that the aims of the Iranian nuclear programme are, as Iran claims, exclusively peaceful.
	These concerns are only heightened by Iran's ballistic missile programme, threatening rhetoric towards Israel, and its links to Lebanese Hizballah and Palestinian rejectionist groups.
	We are working, with our partners, to ensure that Iran meets in full the requirements of the IAEA Board and the Security Council, including reinstating a full suspension of all enrichment related and reprocessing activities, and returns to a negotiation on long-term arrangements.

Israel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she plans to visit the state of Israel; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is keen to visit Israel and the Occupied Territories. However, foreign engagements for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and other Ministers are kept under constant review. It is not our practice to announce such visits until they are finalised. Because of the unpredictable nature of world events, final decisions on overseas visits are often not possible until very shortly before the day of travel.

Israel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens  (a) visited and  (b) emigrated to Israel in each year since 1997.

Kim Howells: According to the Israeli Bureau of National Statistics, the following numbers of UK citizens visited Israel between 2001 and 2005:
	
		
			   Number of UK tourists (Thousand) 
			 2001 157 
			 2002 140 
			 2003 97 
			 2004 104 
			 2005 146 
		
	
	Figures for the number of British citizens who have emigrated to Israel are not available. However, between 2004 and April 2006, the Israeli Ministry of Immigrant Absorption has reported that a total of 2,289 people have emigrated from western Europe to Israel:
	
		
			   Number of emigrants from western Europe 
			 2004 654 
			 2005 830 
			 2006 (to April) 805 
		
	
	The number of British citizens who have visited and emigrated to Israel in other years since 1997 is notheld centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Israel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials from other Government Departments about British relations with the state of Israel; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not held discussions with Ministers or officials from other Government Departments about UK relations with Israel.

Israel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the policy of the Government to refuse to recognise Hamas so long as it retains its intent to destroy the State of Israel; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We support the three principles set out by the Quartet (EU, US, UN and Russia) and that EU Foreign Ministers made clear on 30 January. These are that Hamas should renounce violence; recognise Israel; and accept previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap. Hamas needs to start implementing these principles and make clear the path they intend to take. We recognise Hamas's democratic mandate as a result of free and fair elections. But with this mandate comes responsibilities. The full text of the Quartet statement of 30 January is available onthe Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=l138869357937.

Kenya

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Kenya on  (a) sexual equality and  (b) tackling homophobia.

Ian McCartney: The UK engages bilaterally with the Kenyan Government on human rights issues as they arise. Our high commissioner in Nairobi most recently emphasised the importance of promoting gender equality and tackling violence against women during a speech on 8 May at the Nairobi Women's Hospital.
	Kenya has ratified most of the international human rights treaties and regional human rights instruments. These cover non-discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation. However, homosexuality is illegal in Kenya. We are concerned that this cuts across Kenya's international human rights obligations.
	The EU is in the process of relaunching its discussions with the Government of Kenya, under the provisions of Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement. These discussions are wide-ranging and cover economic and political governance, including human rights.

Maldives

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures her Department is taking  (a) to assist and  (b) to encourage President Gayoom of the Maldives to complete his promised democratic reforms; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We welcome the important democratic changes that the Government of the Maldives have already introduced, including the legalisation of political parties in June 2005 and a recently published Roadmap for reform, which usefully set out some clear timescales. But we remain concerned about the pace of this and about the human rights situation in the Maldives, including freedom of expression and association and the right to fair trials conducted with due legal process. Some recent trials of political activists appear to have political motivations.
	We monitor developments in the Maldives closely, regularly making clear both bilaterally (most recently Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met the Maldivian Minister of State on 28 April) and with EU partners to the Government of the Maldives the need for progress with existing reforms and concerns about the need for further reform and improved human rights. We also maintain regular contact with the opposition parties.
	Agreement on, and implementation of, further major democratic and constitutional changes will require an inclusive process reflecting the views of political parties, civil society and the general public in the Maldives. Dialogue between the political partiesis essential. We fully support the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat in facilitating dialogue on constitutional reform between the political parties.

Nepal

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings the British ambassador in Nepal has had with the King of Nepal since 1 January; and on what dates each meeting took place.

Kim Howells: None. Our ambassador in Kathmandu's last meeting with the King of Nepal was on21 December 2005, when he accompanied General Philip Trousdell, Colonel Commandant, Royal Gurkha Rifles, at the presentation of the Annual Report on the Brigade of Gurkhas. Prior to that, the ambassador's previous audience with the King was on 25 May 2005.

Nepal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Nepal about  (a) human rights,  (b) good governance and (c) the transition to democracy.

Kim Howells: The UK has had regular discussions with the Nepalese Government at all levels on human rights, including with the King after he took direct power of the country last year. We have also made repeated public statements deploring human rights violations by both the Nepalese security forces and the Maoists. Most recently, senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met the Nepalese ambassador on 2 March and raised our concerns about the continued detention of political leaders and activists, and the restrictions on the media. We also registered our ongoing concerns about the democratic deficit in Nepal with the absence of consultations between the parties for a full return to democracy, including through elections.
	In October 2005, as EU President, the UK led an EU directors level Troika delegation to Nepal. The aim of the Troika visit was to encourage reconciliation and dialogue between the King and the political parties. They discussed human rights and the return to democracy with both the Government of Nepal and the political party leaders.
	We have had several discussions with the Government of Nepal, including the King, calling on them to restore democracy and pursue a negotiated political settlement to the conflict involving all of the main actors. In February 2006 a parliamentary delegation led by the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir John Stanley) visited Nepal and called on party leaders and Government officials to discuss the return of democracy in Nepal. The aim of the visit was to support the democratic movement and encourage the return of democracy.
	Following three weeks of violent pro democracy demonstrations the King announced, on 24 April, that he will hand power to the parties and reinstate the Parliament. On 28 April 2006 the first session of the reinstated Parliament took place. We welcome the King's announcement on 24 April and the appointment of the new Prime Minister, G. P. Koirala. On 30 April G. P. Koirala was sworn in to office and the Parliament agreed his proposals to reciprocate the Maoist cease-fire and for a constituent assembly. This represents a genuine opportunity for the restoration of peace, democracy and human rights in Nepal. The UK stands ready, with international partners, to work with the new Government and the people of Nepal.

North Korea

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if she will make it her policy to encourage other EU member states to raise concerns about the situation of Mr. Son Jung Nam in an EU demarche to the Government of North Korea;
	(2)  what representations she has made to the Government of North Korea concerning the treatment of Mr. Son Jung Nam;
	(3)  what representations she has made to the Government of North Korea  (a) to refrain from executing Mr. Son Jung Nam and  (b) to call for his release.

Ian McCartney: The EU presidency has formally raised concerns with the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea (DPRK) authorities about Son Jung Nam's circumstances and fate, as have individual member states including the UK.
	We, along with other EU partners, have asked the DPRK authorities to provide further information on Son Jung Nam's circumstances and fate but they have not done so.
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have raised Son Jung Nam's case with the North Korean authorities. We set out our well-known opposition to the use of the death penalty and urged the DPRK not to apply it if it was in question in his case. We are deeply concerned about reports of serious human rights violations in the DPRK, but the lack of access for independent monitors makes it difficult to verify these reports.

Palestinian Authority

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking to secure the release of taxes owed to the Palestinian Authority which are held by Israel.

Kim Howells: We, along with our EU partners, continue to call upon Israel to transfer the customs revenue that they currently collect on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. At the 15 May General Affairs and External Relations Council, the EU urged Israel to transfer this revenue. In addition to this, the UK is leading EU efforts to set up a temporary international mechanism to ensure that assistance can be delivered directly to the Palestinian people.

Public Consultations

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many public consultations her Department undertook in the last year; and what the cost was  (a) in total and  (b) of each consultation.

Margaret Beckett: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office undertook three public consultations in 2005-06, at a total cost of £38,510.
	The cost of each consultation was as follows:
	
		
			   Cost (£) 
			 Forced Marriage 15,000 
			 Know Before You Go Travel Safety—benchmarking survey 18,000 
			 Support for British Nationals Overseas 5,510

Small Change Big Difference

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps her Department and its agencies have taken following the launch of the Government's Small Change Big Difference Campaign.

Margaret Beckett: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not taken specific steps as a direct result of the launch of the Small Change Big Difference campaign, but our existing occupational health service and health promotion practice very much reflect the campaign's advice.

Strategic Export Controls

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the evidence from the Minister for the Middle-East in her Department to the Quadripartite Committee on 3 May, HC 873-vi, on strategic export controls, what steps are being taken by the Government to investigate reports of an illicit diversion of UK-exported Beretta weapons intended for legitimate use in Iraq.

Kim Howells: The hon. Member's question refers to my evidence session before the Quadripartite Committee on 25 April 2006.
	Security conditions in Iraq make it very difficult to investigate all such allegations of diversion or theft of British exports of military listed equipment. Our embassy in Baghdad has investigated these reports as far as they have been able to and have found no firm evidence to support them.
	Despite the anecdotal nature of such allegations of diversion, officials do take them into account when assessing export licence applications. Whenever appropriate, we take advice from our embassy in Baghdad on the risks of diversion.

Syria

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of Syrian compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1559; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has taken note of the latest report on implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559 by the UN Secretary-General. This report concluded that a number of operational requirements derived from the resolution had been met, including the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon and the conduct of free and fair legislative elections in Lebanon.
	However, the Secretary-General also noted that other requirements of the resolution remained to be implemented, particularly the disarming and disbanding of the Lebanese and non-Lebanese militia; the extension of Government control throughout all Lebanon; and the full restoration and strict respect for the sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and political independence of Lebanon, most notably through the establishment of normal diplomatic relations and the demarcation of borders between Syria and Lebanon.
	In response to the Secretary-General's report, on17 May, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1680, co-drafted by the UK, calling on the Syrian Government to agree to delineate their common border with Lebanon and to establish full diplomatic relations and representation in Lebanon, noting that such measures would constitute a significant step towards asserting Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, and improving relations between the two countries.

Turkey (EU Accession)

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on progress with Turkey's application for accession to the EU.

Geoff Hoon: Since the opening of accession negotiations on 3 October 2005, the Commission has been carrying out the screening process, measuring Turkey's legislation against the 35 chapters of the EU "acquis". The Commission has completed screening on 17 chapters and published screening reports for Science and Research, Education and Culture, Public Procurement and Competition. After the screening of a chapter is complete, member states decide whether to set opening benchmarks, the specific requirements the candidate country must meet before the chapter can be opened. We expect the first chapter to be opened during the Austrian presidency.

Venezuela

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  whether the visit of the President of Venezuela to the United Kingdom will be a State Visit;
	(2)  which Ministers and officials will be meeting President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela during his visit to the United Kingdom on 15 to 16 May.

Geoff Hoon: President Chavez of Venezuela made a private visit to the UK between 14-16 May. It was not a State Visit. There were never plans for meetings with Government Ministers or officials. The Venezuelan Government did not request any official meetings with the Government. A representative of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office met President Chavez on arrival in the UK.

Venezuela

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Ministers will be meeting the President of Venezuela  (a) publicly and  (b) privately during his forthcoming visit tothe UK.

Geoff Hoon: There were never plans for meetings with Government Ministers, either publicly or privately, during this recent visit. President Chavez made a private visit to the UK and did not request any meetings with the Government.

Western Sahara

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had at the United Nations on the holding of a referendum on the future Government of Western Sahara.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed the issue of Western Sahara in the UN.
	The UK supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to Western Sahara, Peter van Walsum, to find a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution to the Western Sahara dispute, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. On 28 April 2006, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted UN Security Council Resolution 1675 which renewed the mandate for the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara until 31 October 2006. The UK supported this, and UK officials at the UN played an active role in the Security Council's consideration of this issue. There are, however, no plans for a UN referendum to be held in the near future.

TREASURY

Cancer

Philip Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people under the age of 18 years in  (a) England and  (b) Shropshire were diagnosed with leukaemia in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 22 May 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people under the age of 18 years in (a) England and (b) Shropshire were diagnosed with leukaemia in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005. I am replying in her absence. (72138)
	The most recent available figures for newly diagnosed cases of leukaemia registered in England are the year 2003. Figures for people under the age of 18 years at diagnosis for the years 2002 and 2003 are given in the table below.
	
		
			  Number of newly diagnosed cases of leukaemia( 1)  for people under the age of 18 years at diagnosis, registered in England and the county of Shropshire, 2002-03 
			   England  County of Shropshire 
			 2002 454 0 
			 2003 429 2 
			 (1) Figures selected using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD10) C91-C95.

Cancer

Philip Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in  (a) England and  (b) Shropshire were diagnosed with (i) leukaemia, (ii) breast cancer and (iii) prostate cancer in (A) 2004 and (B) 2005.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 22 May 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people in (a) England and (b) Shropshire were diagnosed with (i) leukaemia, (ii) breast cancer and (iii) prostate cancer in (A) 2004 and (B) 2005. I am replying in her absence. (72140)
	The most recent available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer registered in England are the year 2003. Figures by selected cancers for the years 2002 and 2003 are given in the table below.
	
		
			  Numbers of newly diagnosed cases of selected cancers( 1) , registered in England and the county of Shropshire: 2002-03 
			   England  County of Shropshire 
			  2002   
			 Leukaemia 5,608 32 
			 Breast cancer (females)(2) 34,319 243 
			 Prostate cancer 26,811 218 
			
			  2003   
			 Leukaemia 5,741 22 
			 Breast cancer (females)(2) 36,509 250 
			 Prostate cancer 26,798 209 
			 (1) Figures selected using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD10), all leukaemias coded as C91-C95, breast cancer as C50 and prostate cancer as C61. (2 )Figures provided here are for female breast cancer. However, there are around 300 cases of male breast cancer diagnosed each year.

Children's Trust Funds

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will list the  (a) banks and  (b) building societies which do not apply an administration charge to individual child trust funds; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has held with  (a) banks and  (b) building societies on administration charges on individual child trust funds; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Balls: All providers of child trust fund accounts, including banks and building societies, take administration charges into account when setting the rate of return they offer.
	For the stakeholder child trust fund product only, these charges are capped at 1.5 per cent. a year. The stakeholder charge cap was subject to consultation prior to the launch of child trust fund and the Government continue to monitor that this cap is adhered to. The Government keep the operation of the child trust fund under review and, as a matter of course, meet regularly with providers and distributors.

Coins

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the UK coins that cost more to mint than their face value; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: None of the coins currently being issued for circulation cost more than their face value.

Correspondence

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letters of 20 April and 27 April from the hon. Member for Northavon, regarding a constituent, Mrs. Hughes.

Dawn Primarolo: I have done so.

Departmental Estate

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) land and  (b) property his Department (i) leases and (ii) leased in (A) the Southend, West constituency, (B) Essex, (C) Hertfordshire and (D) the Metropolitan Police area of London in (1) 1979,(2) 1983, (3) 1987, (4) 1992 and (5) 1997.

John Healey: In 1997 the Treasury held a lease on a property in Allington Street, London SW1.

Electoral Roll

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of those on the electoral register are  (a) Irish citizens,  (b) Commonwealth citizens and  (c) non-UK EU nationals.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 22 May 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what proportion of those on the electoral register are (a) Irish citizens, (b) Commonwealth citizens and (c) non-UK EU nationals. I am replying in her absence. (72349)
	The attached table provides figures for 1 December 2005 on the percentage of the local government electorate who are entitled to vote through European Union citizenship. These figures do not include citizens of Malta and Cyprus who qualify under commonwealth status or Irish citizens.
	Data on Irish citizens and Commonwealth citizens are not collected separately on electoral returns. Therefore, it is not possible to calculate the proportion of those oh the electoral register.
	
		
			  Total European/Local Government Electorate and Electorate Entitled to Vote through European Citizenship, 1 December 2005 
			   Electorate Qualifying through European Union Citizenship  Total European/Local Government Electorate  Percentage of European/Local Electorate Qualifying through EU Citizenship 
			 England 522,050 37,656,402 1.4 
			 Wales 10,788 2,247,164 0.5 
			 Scotland 24,393 3,884,464 0.6 
			 Northern Ireland 3,620 1,156,991 0.3 
			 United Kingdom 560,851 44,945,021 1.2 
			  Sources: Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.

Euro

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the statement made by the EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs that all the current EU member states will adopt the euro within 10 years; and whether he has responded to the Commissioner's statement.

Edward Balls: Article 122 of the EC Treaty provides the procedure by which the derogation of relevant member states from the third stage of economic and monetary union is abrogated, thereby allowing them to adopt the euro. Under the Protocol on certain provisions relating to the UK, the UK does not have a derogation. The Protocol recognises that
	"the United Kingdom shall not be obliged or committed to move to the third stage of economic monetary union without a separate decision to do so by its government and parliament".
	Government policy on membership of the single currency is unchanged. It remains as set out by the Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the Chancellor's statement on the Five Tests assessment in June 2003.

Financial Services Ombudsman

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to enable the Financial Services Ombudsman to increase the period of time during which a complaint can be filed.

Edward Balls: The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) sets out the broad framework andthe respective responsibilities of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The power to determine the detail of the scope of the Financial Ombudsman scheme, how it operates and other detailed matters is split betweenthe FSA and the FOS. Both organisations are operationally independent of Government.

Financial Services Ombudsman

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will increase the discretionary powers of the Financial Services Ombudsman.

Edward Balls: The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) sets out the broad framework of the Financial Services Ombudsman. The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) gained statutory powerson 1 December 2001. These powers were subject to extensive consultation before introduction.
	There are no plans to review the powers of the Financial Services Ombudsman at this time.

Flat Income Tax

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the level at which a flat income tax would need to be set in order to generate the same anticipated Government income for  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07 as the present banded income tax system.

Dawn Primarolo: Assuming that all personal allowances and reliefs remain at their current levels, a flat rate of income tax on earnings of 24 per cent. would be approximately revenue neutral in both 2005-06 and 2006-07, costing about £0.6 billion and £1.1 billion in each year respectively.
	This assumes a flat rate of tax on earnings only but that the rates for savings and dividends income remain unchanged.
	This revenue neutral estimate has been obtained from the survey of personal incomes 2003-04 and projected forward to 2005-06 and 2006-07 in line with March 2006 Budget assumptions.
	The revenue neutral estimate excludes any behavioural response to the tax changes, which could be significant given the scale of the changes.
	An estimated 17 million households would lose out under this system, while only 2 million would gain. Of the households gaining, around three-quarters would be in the richest 10 per cent. of households.

Flat Income Tax

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to Question 63871, on a flat rate of income tax, tabled by the hon. Member for St. Ives on 30 March.

Dawn Primarolo: I have done so.

HM Revenue and Customs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the conferences held abroad attendedby staff from HM Revenue and Customs in the last12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: Comprehensive information is not available. All overseas travel on official business is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the civil service code.

HM Revenue and Customs

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what daily subsistence allowance is payable to staff of HM Revenue and Customs working away from home where receipts  (a) are provided and  (b) are not provided.

Dawn Primarolo: Travel and subsistence allowances for staff in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have not yet been fully harmonised, but work on this is continuing.
	 (a) Day subsistence allowances where receipts are required:
	Receipts are required for payments relating to meals taken during official travel.
	 Both former C and E and IR pay:
	Over five hours, but not more than 10 hours—the actual cost of one main meal on a train or boat;
	Over 10 hours—the actual cost of one main meal on a train or boat, together with the over five hour subsistence rate of £4.25, or the actual cost of two main meals;
	 Former IR pays:
	£4.25 where an early start renders breakfast at home unreasonable. If this is claimed, the actual receipted cost up to two main meals on a train or boat may also be claimed.
	 (b) Day subsistence allowances where receipts are not required:
	 Both former C and E and IR pay:
	Day subsistence allowances to staff on official business away from their normal office (except when the receipted meals above can be claimed):
	absences over five hours—£4.25 for one meal,
	absences over 10 hours—£9.30 for two meals
	absences over 12 hours—£9.30 plus 4.25 if breakfast purchased due to early start rendering breakfast at home unreasonable.
	 Former C and E:
	late meal allowance—£3.25.

Information Technology

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) originally estimated,  (b) most recently estimated and  (c) outturn cost was in each of the five largest information technology contracts agreed by his Department with outside suppliers over the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  £000 
			  IT system  Contract  Original estimate  Most recent estimate  Outturn cost 
			 COINS—Integration of three government financial data systems to form a Single Data System (SDS). Descisys for software 1,527 1,678 1,678 
			  G-Cat supplier for hardware 60 60 60 
			 JIGSAW—Enhancing Electronic Document and Records Management system (EDRMS) Computacenter for software 477 477 477 
			  Computacenter for hardware 149 149 149 
			 ACME / TRiP—Replacement of the computer system TACSYS which supports the operational accounting and cashflow forecasting work of the Treasury Exchequer Funds and Accounts team. City Financials for software 462 462 462 
			  G-Cat supplier for hardware 109 109 109 
			  Note: Values incl. VAT. Annual 'Running costs' are not included in the above figures and have been answered previously in the answer given to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers) on16 January 2006,  Official Report, column 1158W.

Low Earnings

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the change was between 2000 and 2005 in the number of people employed part-time or full-time and earning less than £10,000 per annum.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 22 May 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to ask what has been the change in the numbers of people between 2000 and 2005 who are employed part-time or full-time and are earnings less than £10,000 per annum. I am responding in her absence (72621)
	Currently average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. This is the standard definition used for ASHE. The ASHE does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
	The actual numbers of people are not available from ASHE data. Therefore I attach tables showing proportions of those earning less than £10,000 per annum for the years 2000 and 2005 for Employees on Adult Rates.
	The ASHE survey is carried out in April of each year and is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. They are based on a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes.
	
		
			  Gross annual (£) pay for all employee jobs( 1) 
			   Proportion earning less than £10,000 
			 2000 26.4 
			 2005 20.6 
		
	
	
		
			  Gross annual (£) pay for full-time employee jobs( 1) 
			   Proportion earning less than £10,000 
			 2000 8.8 
			 2005 4.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Gross annual (£) pay for part time employee jobs( 1) 
			   Proportion earning less than £10,000 
			 2000 81.2 
			 2005 68.8 
			 (1) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence.  Notes: 1. Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV e.g. for an average of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent., we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220. 2. The above estimates all have a CV of less than 5 per cent.  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

Mortality Statistics

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths there were of people aged  (a) under one,  (b) one to five,  (c) six to 10,  (d) 11 to 17,  (e) 17 to 24,  (f) 25 to 35,  (g) 36 to 40,  (h) 41 to 50,  (i) 51 to 59,  (j) 60 to 64,  (k) 65 to 69,  (l) 70 to 74,  (m) 75 to 79,  (n) 80 to 84,  (o) 85 to 89 and  (p) 90 years and over from (i) 1 April to 30 September 1997, (ii) 1 October to 30 April 1998, (iii) 1 April to 30 September 2001,(iv) 1 October to 30 April 2002, (v) 1 April to 30 September 2004 and (vi) 1 October to 30 April 2005; and what the death rate per 1,000 was in each case.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 22 May 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning how many deaths there were of people in the age group (a) under one, (b) one to five, (c) six to 10, (d) 11 to 17, (e) 17 to 24, (f) 25 to 35, (g) 36 to 40, (h) 41 to 50, (i) 51 to 59, (j) 60 to 64, (k) 65 to 69, (1) 70 to 74, (m) 75 to 79, (n) 80 to 84, (o) 85 to 89 and (p) 90 years and over from (i) 1st April to 30th September 1997, (ii) 1st October to 30th April 1998, (iii) 1st April to 30th September 2001, (iv) 1st October to 30th April 2002, (v) 1st April to 30th September 2004 and (vi) 1st October to 30th April 2005; and what the death rate per 1,000 was in each case. I am replying in her absence. (72160)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2004. Numbers of deaths for the age groups and time periods requested are included in the table below. Age group "18 to 24" has been used to avoid double counting deaths with age group "11 to 17".
	ONS does not routinely calculate death rates for sub-annual periods. Annual death rates by sex and five-year age groups can be found in Table 4 in the publication series, "DH2, Mortality Statistics, Cause". Copies of these can be found in the library of the House and, from 1999 onwards, on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=618.
	
		
			  Numbers of deaths in England and Wales by age group and selected time periods, April 1997 to September 2004( 1) 
			  Number of deaths 
			  Age group  1 April to 30 September 1997  1 October to 30 April 1998  1 April to 30 September 2001  1 October to 30 April 2002  1 April to 30 September 2004 
			 <1 1,852 2,172 1,568 1,904 1,535 
			 01-05 370 503 302 436 272 
			 06-10 229 261 191 200 167 
			 11-17 535 674 453 630 463 
			 18-24 1,301 1,546 1,203 1,395 1,111 
			 25-35 3,167 3,829 2,961 3,410 2,682 
			 36-40 2,047 2,465 2,226 2,594 2,197 
			 41-50 7,728 9,256 7,344 8,994 7,447 
			 51-59 14,302 17,861 14,991 17,962 14,466 
			 60-64 13,372 16,898 12,743 15,388 12,042 
			 65-69 21,846 27,191 18,294 22,713 17,407 
			 70-74 32,756 41,819 28,373 35,598 25,195 
			 75-79 40,316 54,195 40,235 50,652 35,778 
			 80-84 43,708 57,537 42,771 57,056 46,682 
			 85-89 39,259 54,599 41,079 54,846 35,610 
			 90+ 30,134 43,785 35,679 50,069 37,691 
			 (1 )Deaths occurring in each time period.

National Insurance Contributions

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people who will retire in the next 12 months without being told what pension they will receive due to HM Revenue and Customs not recording national insurance contributions.

Dawn Primarolo: National insurance records are updated annually when HMRC processes employers' returns. Any apparent shortfall in the final relevant year is followed-up by DWP with employers.
	All people reaching pension age will receive a Retirement Pension pack from DWP four months prior to reaching their pension age. This pack includes a State Pension forecast detailing the amounts of State Pension they will receive based on the amount of national insurance contributions recorded. If the amount shown in the State Pension forecast is not what an individual expects, DWP's Pension Forecasting Team will advise the customer to contact HM Revenue and Customs who will check and, where appropriate, update the national insurance record to ensure that the correct State Pension is paid. Relatively few people are affected in this way.

Non-fossil Fuels

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 4 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1742W, on non-fossil fuels, if he will summarise the legal argument which led him to conclude that funds in the non-fossil fuel obligation fund were hereditary revenues.

John Healey: The legal advice concerned was that the funds representing the non-fossil fuel obligation surplus are hereditary revenues and as such are required by law to be paid in the consolidated fund.

Olympics

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account the Office for National Statistics has taken in its analysis of the public sector net debt of the guarantees given to the International Olympic Committee to underwrite the Olympic Games.

John Healey: Under reforms to the public spending framework introduced in 2000 the UK Government are one of the few in the world that have a statutory obligation to report liabilities in the same way as private companies, and whose accounts are subject to independent audit.
	Contingent liabilities, such as those referred to in the question, are reported in departmental accounts on the same basis as UK GAAP, as well as to Parliament. They are defined as being contingent on an event, or a set of events, whose likelihood of occurring has been accepted by independent auditors as being remote. They are not, by their definition, actual liabilities, and so it would not be right to include them in measures of public sector net debt.

Petrol Prices

William McCrea: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average price was of a gallon of  (a) leaded and  (b) unleaded petrol in each country of the UK in March 2006.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	The average price of leaded petrol is no longer available due to the low volume of sales of this fuel. The average price of unleaded petrol is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Country  £/gallon 
			 Northern Ireland 4.10 
			 Scotland 4.07 
			 Wales 4.10 
			 England 4.09

Population Statistics (Hartlepool)

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many girls under the age of 16 years in Hartlepool constituency gave birth in each year since 1990.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 22 May 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question about how many girls in Hartlepool constituency under the age of 16 years gave birth in each year since 1990. I am replying in her absence. (72602)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2005. The table below shows the requested figures for the years 1990 to 2005 In order to protect confidentiality, counts of less than five have been suppressed.
	
		
			  Live births under age 16 Hartlepool constituency 1990-2005 
			   Number 
			 1990 5 
			 1991 6 
			 1992 6 
			 1993 7 
			 1994 (1)— 
			 1995 7 
			 1996 9 
			 1997 5 
			 1998 8 
			 1999 8 
			 2000 10 
			 2001 6 
			 2002 (1)— 
			 2003 5 
			 2004 (1)— 
			 2005 (1)— 
			 (1 )Counts of less than five.

Registered Electors

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of the electorate were registered in each  (a) ward and  (b) constituency in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland in each of the past 10 years, broken down by region.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 22 May 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many and what percentage of the electorate were registered in each (a) ward and (b) constituency in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland in each of the past 10 years, broken down by region. I am replying in her absence. (72591)
	The information requested is not readily available on a comparable basis for the ten year period and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.
	Information on the percentage of the electorate who were registered is not available for the ten year period because population estimates for wards are available only for 2001 and 2002. The information for these years has been provided previously in response to earlier Parliamentary Questions (No. 38272, 20 Dec 2005, Column 2809w, No. 41187, 19th January 2006, Column 1491w).

Registered Electors

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many electors there were in each ward in Wrexham in each of the last 10 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 22 May 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question regarding the number of electors in each ward in Wrexham in each of the last 10 years. I am replying in her absence. (72670)
	The latest available Welsh ward electorate counts are for December 2005. The electorate counts for the last available 10 years (1996 to 2005) are shown in the attached tables. Table 1 shows wards within the Parliamentary Constituency of Wrexham. Table 2, shows wards for the local authority of Wrexham, including those for the Parliamentary Constituency of Wrexham (as included in Table 1).
	
		
			  Table 1: Parliamentary electors for Wrexham constituency 1996-2005 
			  Ward name  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Acton 2,543 2,520 2,486 2,461 2,385 2,360 2,334 2,249 2,172 2,259 
			 Borras Park 2,136 2,155 2,180 2,187 2,167 2,104 2,114 2,063 2,076 2,075 
			 Brynffynnon(1) — — — — 1,998 2,121 2,122 1,952 1,779 1,669 
			 Caia Park(2) 4,241 3,944 3,911 3,813 — — — — — — 
			 Cartrefle(2,3) — — — — 1,691 1,580 1,630 1,583 1,483 1,550 
			 Erddig(4) — — — — 1,786 1,726 1,704 1,627 1,581 1,559 
			 Garden Village 1,662 1,654 1,670 1,688 1,693 1,691 1,696 1,682 1,676 1,670 
			 Gresford East and West 2,344 2,321 2,336 2,360 2,365 2,286 2,302 2,255 2,202 2,188 
			 Grosvenor 1,666 1,835 1,799 1,799 1,727 1,810 1,861 1,708 1,629 2,016 
			 Gwersyllt East and South 3,040 3,032 3,023 3,034 3,046 3,187 3,201 3,158 3,107 3,183 
			 Gwersyllt North 1,895 1,896 1,910 1,902 1,868 1,707 1,740 1,725 1,691 1,797 
			 Gwersyllt West 2,267 2,257 2,270 2,302 2,296 2,258 2,240 2,218 2,124 2,192 
			 Hermitage(4) — — — — 1,826 1,778 1,757 1,669 1,608 1,663 
			 Holt 1,740 1,791 1,838 1,911 1,992 2,345 2,614 2,685 2,732 2,544 
			 Little Acton 1,938 1,976 1,934 1,856 1,894 1,846 1,865 1,850 1,833 1,845 
			 Llay 3,635 3,608 3,585 3,592 3,633 3,644 3,623 3,582 3,500 3,542 
			 Maesydre 1,619 1,589 1,602 1,599 1,573 1,545 1,531 1,514 1,448 1,478 
			 Marford and Hoseley 1,747 1,752 1,776 1,799 1,776 1,824 1,864 1,839 1,843 1,849 
			 Offa(1, 4) — — — — 1,790 1,668 1,692 1,596 1,547 1,599 
			 Offa East(4) 4,387 4,420 4,452 4,449 — — — — — — 
			 Offa West(1) 2,826 2,797 2,876 2,883 — — — — — — 
			 Queensway(3) 3,447 3,399 3,348 3,324 1,713 1,564 1,546 1,424 1,244 1,375 
			 Rhosnesni 2,298 2,340 2,384 2,382 2,410 2,325 2,314 2,292 2,262 2,217 
			 Rossett 2,320 2,346 2,438 2,493 2,556 2,495 2,460 2,420 2,376 2,443 
			 Smithfield(2, 3, 5) — — — — 1,748 1,683 1,667 1,541 1,484 1,549 
			 Stansty 1,842 1,826 1,801 1,789 1,794 1,724 1,699 1,654 1,628 1,671 
			 Whitegate(3,5) 1,529 1,548 1,565 1,581 1,955 1,927 1,961 2,019 2,110 2,302 
			 Wynnstay(2) — — — — 1,363 1,338 1,353 1,275 1,112 1,188 
			 Total 51,122 51,006 51,184 51,204 51,045 50,536 50,890 49,5880 48,247 49,423 
			 The following changes took effect on 6 May 1999: (1) Part of Offa West formed Brynffynnon and part merged to form Offa. (2) Part of Caia Park merged to form Cartrefle, part merged to form Smithfield and the rest formed Wynnstay. (3) Part of Queensway merged to form Cartrefle, part merged to form Smithfield and part merged with Whitegate. (4) Part of Offa East formed Erddig, part formed Hermitage and part merged to form Offa. (5) Part of Whitegate merged to form Smithfield.  Notes: 1. Data for years up to and including 2000 relate to 16 February, data for 2001 and subsequent years relate to 1 December. 2. Parliamentary electors are those people who are entitled to vote in parliamentary elections at Westminster and who meet the residence qualification. These include overseas voters but exclude Peers and European citizens.  Source: Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Parliamentary electors for Wrexham unitary authority 1996-2005 
			  Ward name  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Acton 2,543 2,520 2,486 2,461 2,385 2,360 2,334 2,249 2,172 2,259 
			 Borras Park 2,136 2,155 2,180 2,187 2,167 2,104 2,114 2,063 2,076 2,075 
			 Bronington 2,345 2,358 2,384 2,427 2,452 2,441 2,469 2,436 2,407 2,431 
			 Brymbo 2,055 2,059 2,042 2,070 2,025 2,011 2,019 1,987 1,997 2,026 
			 Brynffynnon(1) — — — — 1,998 2,121 2,122 1,952 1,779 1,669 
			 Bryn Cefn 1,456 1,471 1,489 1,480 1,469 1,468 1,477 1,456 1,415 1,431 
			 Caia Park(2) 4,241 3,944 3,911 3,813 — — — — — — 
			 Cartrefle(2,3) — — — — 1,691 1,580 1,630 1,583 1,483 1,550 
			 Cefn 3,790 3,799 3,745 3,729 3,705 3,540 3,614 3,626 3,487 3,579 
			 Ceiriog Ganol/Ceiriog Ucha(4) 1,687 1,657 1,679 1,711 — — — — — — 
			 Dyffryn Ceiriog/Ceiriog Valley(4) — — — — 1,724 1,700 1,740 1,740 1,692 1,672 
			 Chirk North 1,775 1,794 1,822 1,874 1,874 1,888 1,867 1,855 1,844 1,835 
			 Chirk South 1,379 1,377 1,399 1,386 1,420 1,411 1,405 1,390 1,408 1,457 
			 Coedpoeth 3,645 3,620 3,618 3,661 3,652 3,581 3,575 3,511 3,451 3,453 
			 Erddig(5) — — — — 1,786 1,726 1,704 1,627 1,581 1,559 
			 Esclusham(6) 2,471 2,469 2,435 2,495 2,049 2,022 2,000 1,952 1,925 1,928 
			 Garden Village 1,662 1,654 1,670 1,688 1,693 1,691 1,696 1,682 1,676 1,670 
			 Gresford East and West 2,344 2,321 2,336 2,360 2,365 2,286 2,302 2,255 2,202 2,188 
			 Grosvenor 1,666 1,835 1,799 1,799 1,727 1,810 1,861 1,708 1,629 2,016 
			 Gwenfro 1,320 1,303 1,287 1,284 1,263 1,234 1,239 1,217 1,181 1,180 
			 Gwersyllt East and South 3,040 3,032 3,023 3,034 3,046 3,187 3,201 3,158 3,107 3,183 
			 Gwersyllt North 1,895 1,896 1,910 1,902 1,868 1,707 1,740 1,725 1,691 1,797 
			 Gwersyllt West 2,267 2,257 2,270 2,302 2,296 2,258 2,240 2,218 2,124 2,192 
			 Hermitage(5) — — — — 1,826 1,778 1,757 1,669 1,608 1,663 
			 Holt 1,740 1,791 1,838 1,911 1,992 2,345 2,614 2,6b5 2,732 2,544 
			 Johnstown 2,386 2,402 2,389 2,495 2,584 2,525 2,521 2,490 2,424 2,466 
			 Little Acton 1,938 1,976 1,934 1,856 1,894 1,846 1,865 1,850 1,833 1,845 
			 Llangollen Rural(7) — — 1,479 1,445 1,471 1,449 1,527 1,481 1,459 1,454 
			 Llay 3,635 3,608 3,585 3,592 3,633 3,644 3,623 3,582 3,500 3,542 
			 Maesydre 1,619 1,589 1,602 1,599 1,573 1,545 1,531 1,514 1,448 1,478 
			 Marchwiel 1,799 1,794 1,807 1,801 1,851 1,860 1,870 1,828 1,814 1,846 
			 Marford and Hoseley 1,747 1,752 1,776 1,799 1,776 1,824 1,864 1,839 1,843 1,849 
			 Minera 1,861 1,895 1,921 1,942 1,928 1,917 1,923 1,904 1,893 1,882 
			 New Broughton 2,246 2,233 2,273 2,342 2,501 2,463 2,474 2,410 2,383 2,495 
			 Offa(1, 5) — — — — 1,790 1,668 1,692 1,506 1,547 1,599 
			 Offa East(5) 4,387 4,420 4,452 4,449 — — — — — — 
			 Offa West(1) 2,826 2,797 2,876 2,883 — — — — — — 
			 Overton 2,144 2,185 2,242 2,287 2,343 2,316 2,344 2,318 2,338 2,373 
			 Pant 1,740 1,724 1,727 1,718 1,672 1,649 1,642 1,556 1,473 1,515 
			 Penycae(8) 2,622 2,582 2,570 2,540 1,590 1,563 1,580 1,543 1,428 1,546 
			 Penycae and Ruabon South(8) — — — — 1,809 1,799 1,812 1,85 1,781 1,807 
			 Plas Madoc 1,511 1,453 1,424 1,326 1,242 1,217 1,180 1,114 1,015 1,176 
			 Ponciau(6) 3,174 3,218 3,200 3,174 3,678 3,566 3,531 3,482 3,416 3,469 
			 Queensway(3) 3,447 3,399 3,348 3,324 1,713 1,564 1,546 1,424 1,244 1,375 
			 Rhosnesni 2,298 2,340 2,384 2,382 2,410 2,325 2,314 2,202 2,262 2,217 
			 Rossett 2,320 2,346 2,438 2,493 2,556 2,495 2,460 2,420 2,376 2,443 
			 Ruabon(8) 2,636 2,618 2,684 2,668 1,730 1,846 1,873 1,820 1,776 1,877 
			 Smithfield(2,3,9) — — — — 1,748 1,683 1,667 1,541 1,484 1,549 
			 Stansty 1,842 1,826 1,801 1,789 1,794 1,724 1,699 1,654 1,628 1,671 
			 Whitegate(3,9) 1,529 1,548 1,565 1,581 1,955 1,927 1,961 2,019 2,110 2,302 
			 Wynnstay(2) — — — — 1,363 1,338 1,353 1,275 1,112 1,188 
			 Total 95,164 95,017 96,800 97,059 97,077 96,002 96,572 94,521 92,254 94,321 
			 Unless otherwise stated the following changes took effect on 6 May 1999: (1) Part of Offa West formed Brynffynnon and part merged to form Offa. (2) Part of Caia Park merged to form Cartrefle, part merged to form Smithfield and the rest formed Wynnstay. (3) Part of Queensway merged to form Cartrefle, part merged to form Smithfield and part merged with Whitegate. (4) Ceiriog Ganol/Ceiriog Ucha was renamed as Dyffryn Ceiriog/Ceiriog Valley. (5) Part of Offa East formed Erddig, part formed Hermitage and part merged to form Offa. (6) Part of Esclusham merged with Ponciau. (7) Wrexham unitary authority boundary was extended to include part of Llangollen Rural, formerly in Denbighshire unitary authority on1 April 1997. (8) Part of Penycae merged with part of Ruabon to form Penycae and Ruabon South.  (9) Part of Whitegate merged to form Smithfield.  Notes: 1. Data for years up to and including 2000 relate to 16 February, data for 2001 and subsequent years relate to 1 December.  2. Parliamentary electors are those people who are entitled to vote in parliamentary elections at Westminster and who meet the residence qualification. These include overseas voters but exclude Peers and European citizens.  Source: Office for National Statistics

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average cost per minute is of calling the tax credit helpline number.

Dawn Primarolo: Information is not available on the cost per minute to callers using the tax credit helpline, they will vary according to their service provider.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claimants have been informed that they were required to repay overpayments in each year since its introduction; how much has been overpaid in total; and how much has been repaid in each year.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of 2003-04 awards that were overpaid as at April 2004 is shown in the HMRC publication "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised annual awards 2003-04. Supplement on payments in 2003-04". This can be found on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm
	The number of 2004-05 awards with overpayments as at April 2005 will be published on 31 May 2006.
	Where a family has been overpaid, HMRC will recover the overpayment as explained in code of practice 26 "What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?", available on our website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/cop26.htm.
	The total amount that was overpaid in 2003-04 and how much of this was recovered in 2004-05 is shown in part two of the "Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Report on the Accounts of the Inland Revenue 2004-05". This can be found on the HMRC website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/annual_reps.htm
	Information on the amounts recovered during 2005-06 will not be available until the accounts for 2005-06 have been finalised.

Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend Table 3 on page 30 of Tax credits: reforming financial support for families (March 2005) so as to show marginal deduction rates of over 50 per cent. and over 40 per cent.  (a) before 1998,  (b) in 2005-06 and  (c) in 2006-07.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table is an extension of table 4.3 in Tax credits: reforming financial support for families (March 2005).
	
		
			  Marginal deduction rate (Percentage)  Before budget 1998  2005-06 system of tax and benefits  2006-07 system of tax and benefits 
			 Over 100 5,000 0 0 
			 Over 90 130,000 30,000 35,000 
			 Over 80 300,000 160,000 170,000 
			 Over 70 740,000 225,000 240,000 
			 Over 60 760,000 1,720,000 1,730,000 
			 Over 50 760,000 1,875,000 1,890,000 
			 Over 40 800,000 2,065,000 2,085,000 
		
	
	Figures for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 system of taxes and benefits are consistent with the analysis presented in Table 4.2 of the 2005 pre-Budget report and 2006 Budget report separately.
	Figures are cumulative. This table shows marginal deduction rates for heads of working households in receipt of income related benefits or tax credits, where at least one person works 16 hours or more a week, where the head of the household is not disabled, and where higher earnings would lead to reduced benefits or tax credits. They include the marginal effects of income tax and national insurance contributions, and the withdrawal of tax credits, housing benefit and council tax benefit.
	This analysis does not take into account the way in which tax credits respond to rises in income. Since April 2006, tax credits only respond to rises in income in the current year of more than £25,000, disregarding the first £25,000 of any rise. This means that recipients will not see their tax credits reduced as soon as their income rises, so reducing the effective marginal deduction in any one year.
	As a result of the Government's reforms, around 500,000 fewer low-income households now face marginal deduction rates in excess of 70 per cent. than did so in April 1998. The increase in the number of households facing marginal deduction rates of between 40 and 70 per cent. is primarily due to the introduction of tax credits, and more recently the extension of support to workers aged 25 or over without children.

Teenage Pregnancies

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many teenage pregnancies there have been in each year since 2000, broken down by ethnic group.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 22 May 2006:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many teenage pregnancies there were in each year since 2000, broken down by ethnic group. (71225)
	Available figures are estimates of the number of pregnancies that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or termination.
	Number of teenage conceptions in England and Wales from 2000 to 2004 (the most recent year for which figures are available), are shown in the table. Figures for 2004 are provisional. Information by ethnic group is not available.
	
		
			  Teenage conceptions, England and Wales, 2000-2004 
			   Number 
			 2000 41,349 
			 2001 40,990 
			 2002 41,951 
			 2003 42,162 
			 2004(1) 42,150 
			  Source:  Provisional.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Valuation Office Agency's council tax Automated Valuation Model uses  (a) a location factor or factors in its multiple regression analysis and  (b) geo-spatial statistical analysis in computer assisted mass appraisal.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Valuation Office Agency's (VGA) automated valuation model (AVM) uses  (a) location factors in its multiple regression analysis and  (b) an element of geo-spatial statistical analysis. The extent of the latter is limited to the use of National Land and Property Gazeteer (NLPG) "X-Y Co-ordinates" for precise location information. No other form of geo-spatial statistical analysis is used.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what valuation software the Valuation Office Agency purchased from Capgemini in 2005 for the council tax revaluation in England.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has worked with Capgemini, its IT supplier through the ASPIRE contract, to procure (a) a server version of OASIS, the automated valuation modelling software developed by Cole Layer Trumble and to develop (b) workflow software to support automated valuation activity in the VGA's network offices in England.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the presentation by Diane Leggo to the managementboard of the Valuation Office Agency at its meeting of 26 May 2005 on council tax revaluation in England.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The presentation by Diane Leggo to the management board of the Valuation Office Agency on 26 May 2005 includes material prepared as an input to the formulation of Government policy and cannot be made available. The council tax revaluation has since been postponed.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the conferences to be held in other countries which Valuation Office Agency staff will attend in the next 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: The Valuation Office Agency is asked to share its expertise in the field of property valuation by sending delegates to conferences in the UK and overseas. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the civil service code.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what geographical information system data the Valuation Office Agency's council tax automated valuation model uses.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) does not have a geographical information system (GIS). The only geographical information used within the VGA's automated valuation model (AVM) is the National Land and Property Gazeteer (NLPG) "X-Y Co-ordinate" information, which indicates the precise location of a dwelling.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what domestic dwelling data the Valuation Office Agency has  (a) purchased and  (b) intends to purchase from Rightmove; and what the value of the contract is.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Valuation Office Agency (VOA), through its parent department, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, has a contract with Rightmove.co.uk plc (Rightmove) for a term of 34 months from 1 June 2005, with an option to extend for a further 12 months. The contract gives the VOA rights to use property records within Rightmove's current and historical database of dwellings that are, or have been, on the property market for sale.
	Any future intentions, and the value of the contract, cannot be released into the public domain, as this would prejudice the commercial interests of both the VOA and Rightmove.co.uk plc.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether the Valuation Office Agency's council tax automated valuation model  (a) uses and  (b) holds data (i) from the Index of Multiple Deprivation and (ii) on the number of criminal offences committed in an area;
	(2)  whether the Valuation Office Agency's council tax automated valuation model  (a) uses and  (b) holds local authority ward boundaries data.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Valuation Office Agency's (VGA's) automated valuation model (AVM) neither  (a) uses nor  (b) holds local authority ward boundary data.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research the Valuation Office Agency has commissioned in the last five years on the use of geographic information systems for mass appraisal of residential property.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister commissioned, in 2003, the development of a generalised land use database (GLUD), which identifies the location of nine land use types, including residential. Further details of this ongoing work can be found on the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) website under Research and Statistics, Planning Research and Statistics, Planning Statistics, Generalised Land Use Database (URL: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1146084).
	In addition to GLUD, DCLG have explored, and continue to explore, the suitability of a range of geographic information, including commercial products, new build intelligence from Ordnance Survey and the collation of local authority planning information to improve assessments of residential development.
	The Valuation Office Agency has commissioned no research on the use of geographic information systems for mass appraisal of residential property in the last five years.

Office for Government Commerce

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance the Office for Government Commerce issues to local authorities on contract compliance.

Phil Woolas: I have asked to reply.
	Section 17 of the Local Government Act 1988 prevents authorities from introducing "non-commercial" considerations, such as the political affiliations of contractors, into the procurement process.
	There is a range of advice and guidance on good procurement which local authorities can draw on. Sources include the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), the Public Private, Partnership Programme (the 4ps) and the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA). Specific guidance on local government procurement includes the joint ODPM/Local Government Association 'National Procurement Strategy for Local Government'. This makes clear that council requirements can also include social, environmental and other strategic objectives that are relevant to the subject of the contract.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Agricultural Trade Liberalisation

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to the European Commissioner for Trade about his recent comments on agricultural trade liberalisation; and what assessment he has made of the possible effect those comments will have on the World Trade Organisation trade talks.

Ian McCartney: I have not had the opportunity to make representations to the European Commissioner for Trade since my appointment as Minister for Trade, or to discuss his recent comments on the Doha Development Agenda negotiations. However, my predecessors in this post had regular contact with the Commissioner for Trade on a wide range of issues.
	The UK remains strongly committed to ensuring an ambitious and pro-development outcome to the Doha Round that provides real benefits to developing countries and an overall stimulus to world trade, in line with the mandate agreed in 2001. In agriculture, this means agreeing to significant reductions in trade-distorting domestic support, the elimination of export subsidies, and significant liberalisation of trade. We have made clear our view that achieving this requires movement from all the main parties, across the whole breadth of the negotiations—including, but not limited to, agriculture. We will continue to press all key parties, in the EU and beyond to show sufficient flexibility in all areas of the DDA negotiations to secure a successful outcome.

Autism

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research projects into autism are funded by the Medical Research Council.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Details of research on autism currently funded by the Medical Research Council is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  University/institute  Project title 
			 Cambridge University An investigation of the mechanisms underlying the deficits in contextual processing in autism 
			 Institute of Psychiatry, London Local-global processing and cognitive style in autism and normal development; cognitive and brain bases 
			 Institute of Psychiatry, London A morphometric study of the neuropathology of autism 
			 Birkbeck College Functional brain development in human infants: perceiving the social and physical world 
			 University College London Autism and social cognition 
			 University of Oxford Vocal and non-vocal communication in autism 
			 Institute of Child Health, London Characterising the cognitive phenotype of autism spectrum disorders 
			 Institute of Psychiatry, London Brain anatomy in autism; a multi-centre study 
			 University of Bristol The aetiology of traits contributing to autism and the autistic spectrum disorders 
			 City University, London Integration of complex spatial and temporal elements of episodic memory in adults with Asperger's syndrome 
			 Manchester University Pre-school autism communication trial (PACT) 
			 Institute of Psychiatry A population-based twin-study of autism spectrum disorders

Azores (State Aid)

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations the Government have made to the European Court of Justice in the Azores state aid case brought by the Commission against Portugal.

Ian McCartney: The United Kingdom has made written and oral representations in support of Portugal who instigated this case. We intervened in order to protect the constitutional arrangements for tax varying powers in the Devolved Administrations. We await the Court's judgment in this matter.

Bank Holidays

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Twickenham of 26 April 2006,  Official Report, column 1120W, on bank holidays, when the planned consultation will begin.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We hope to launch an initial consultation on making paid leave for bank holidays additional to the annual leave entitlement, pro-rata for part timers, in the near future.

British Gas

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much natural gas was produced by the British Gas Corporation in each year of its existence.

Malcolm Wicks: The British Gas Corporation (BGC) existed from 1973 to 1986. During this period BGC had various gas production interests, as an operator or through an interest in production licences in the Rough, Morecambe South and Indefatigable fields; the extent of the interests varied between the different fields and through time. Full details are not readily available from the Department of Energy 'Brown Books' but the total production from these fields was:
	
		
			  Production (million cubic metres 
			   Rough  Morecambe South  Indefatigable  Total 
			 1973 — — 4,557 4,557 
			 1974 — — 5,545 5,545 
			 1975 10 — 6,249 6,259 
			 1976 512 — 6,355 6,867 
			 1977 1,063 — 6,779 7,842 
			 1978 931 — 6,450 7,381 
			 1979 1,005 — 6,006 7,011 
			 1980 467 — 6,878 7,345 
			 1981 99 — 5,613 5,712 
			 1982 101 — 5,720 5,821 
			 1983 27 — 4,700 4,727 
			 1984 55 — 5,590 5,645 
			 1985 92 90 5,323 5,505 
			 1986 7 604 6,186 6,797

Business Start-ups

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he plans to take to encourage business start-ups in the north east region.

Margaret Hodge: The stimulation of business start-up activity involves complex and long-term issues, which need to be tackled through the coordinated efforts of a range of public, private and community sector organisations.
	The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) supports, both centrally and through agencies such as the Small Business Service and Regional Development Agency ONE NorthEast, a range of initiatives which are achieving increases in the numbers of entrepreneurs across all sectors of the community in the north east of England.
	ONE NorthEast has produced the North East of England Enterprise Strategy in association with regional public and private sector partners. The strategy draws together the priorities for encouraging and developing existing and potential entrepreneurial talent across all sectors of the community, and outlines the actions, timescales and responsibilities for their delivery.
	Recognising the importance of high-quality business support in enabling entrepreneurship, the DTI is leading on the restructuring and simplification of business support across Government, with the aim of reducing the number of schemes from some 3,000 to around 100. Regionally, ONE NorthEast is working with regional partners to create a single regional business support network that is easy to access and easy to use.
	A number of specific initiatives in the region are also contributing to the encouragement of increased business start-up activity and promotion of opportunities within under-represented groups, including:
	£26.4 million to be shared by Easington, Derwentside, Wear Valley, Sedgefield and South Tyneside under the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI);
	Some £2 million Phoenix Fund support for four Community Development Finance Institutions in the region to provide finance and support to enterprises and entrepreneurs in under-represented and disadvantaged groups;
	Development of a North East Women's Enterprise Action Plan by ONE NorthEast;
	Women into the Network, backed by ONE NorthEast, has already achieved success in encouraging an enhanced culture of entrepreneurship in the region by assisting the integration of aspiring women entrepreneurs into existing business networks;
	The establishment of a pilot Women's Enterprise Unit to assess measures needed to accelerate rates of women's entrepreneurship in the north east of England;
	The ASPIRE initiative, backed by the public and private sectors, is working to raise aspirations among young people, including the encouragement of self-employment.

Car Insurance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will ask the Office of Fair Trading to investigate the car insurance market, with particular reference to personal injury cover; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It is for the Office of Fair Trading, as the UK's independent competition authority, to decide whether to investigate competition in particular markets. If anyone has any evidence of anti-competitive behaviour or market failure in the provision of car insurance they should inform the OFT directly.
	Concerns about regulation of the insurance market—including car insurance—should be directed to the Financial Services Authority.

China

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the European Union on the granting of Market Economy Status to China; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 17 May 2006
	The Government believes that China should be granted Market Economy Status (MES) as soon as possible and made this point to the European Commission and the member states in the run-up to the EU/China summit on 5 September 2005.
	There was no consensus within the EU in favour of granting MES to China. The summit concluded with an agreement between the EU and China to launch a high-level political dialogue on MES, among other issues, with a view to achieving positive progress.

Crematoriums

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what schemes his Department is promoting to encourage crematoriums to increase their energy efficiency by recycling energy and heat generated.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	There is no scheme specific to crematoriums, however Government provide funding to the Carbon Trust, a private company that takes the lead on business and public sector energy efficiency and encourages the development of a low carbon sector in the UK. It also provides advice to businesses on how to become more energy efficient.

Export Credits Guarantee Department Staff

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff were employed by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in each of the last eight years.

Ian McCartney: The figures are:
	
		
			  Financial year  Staff 
			 1998-99 371 
			 1999-2000 361 
			 2000-01 380 
			 2001-02 373 
			 2002-03 379 
			 2003-04 366 
			 2004-05 327 
			 2005-06 (1)304 
			 (1 )Accounts not yet published; subject to audit  Source:  Export Credits Guarantee Department's Annual Review and Resource Accounts

Export Credits Guarantee Department Staff

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for how many companies the Export Credits Guarantee Department has provided guarantees in the last eight years; and what the total value was of those guarantees.

Ian McCartney: Between 1 April 1998 and 31 March 2006, the Export Credits Guarantee Department provided guarantees and insurance for £28.1 billion of business to 294 UK exporters and investors.

Energy Consents

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the tripartite discussions on energy consents between the Wales Office, the National Assembly for Wales and his Department to be concluded.

Malcolm Wicks: The issues that the tripartite working group have been exploring are very complex and their discussions will need to be informed by the outcome of the Energy Review, which is due to report in the summer. I am therefore not in a position to give a precise date at this time, but I would expect the discussions to be concluded as soon as possible following completion of the Energy Review.

Decommissionimg

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of decommissioning  (a) nuclear,  (b) oil,  (c) gas,  (d) coal and  (e) renewables generating installations and platforms in each of the past 30 years; and what projections have been made for the next 10 years.

Malcolm Wicks: Decommissioning costs are a commercial matter for the companies concerned. However, figures do exist for the following:
	 Nuclear Generators
	British Nuclear Fuels' annual report and accounts state that decommissioning expenditure charged against provisions since financial year 1993-94 was as follows:
	
		
			   Decommissioning expenditure (£ million) 
			 2005 256 
			 2004 177 
			 2003 145 
			 2002 92 
			 2001 82 
			 2000 76 
			 1999 80 
			 1998 10 
			 1997 l 
			 1996 l 
			 1995 l 
			 1994 7 
		
	
	Prior to this date no decommissioning expenditure charged against provisions was disclosed in BNFL's annual report and accounts.
	Between 1994-95 and 2000-01 the cost of decommissioning UKAEA's nuclear power plants amounted to £119.3 million.
	Over the period 2006-07 to 2015-16 inclusive, total decommissioning costs of Generating Magnox Stations are:
	
		
			  Generating Magnox station  Decommissioning costs (£ million) 
			 Berkeley 149.8 
			 Bradwell 362.2 
			 Calder Hall 182.7 
			 Chapelcross 325.8 
			 Dungeness A 355.4 
			 Hinkley Point A 388.6 
			 Hunterston A 359.1 
			 Oldbury 371.2 
			 Sizewell A 309.2 
			 Trawsfynydd 227.6 
			 Wylfa 253.6 
			 Total 3,285.1 
		
	
	 Oil and Gas Installations (including pipelines and wells)
	The DTI-UKOOA Activity Survey conducted in autumn 2005 indicates gross (pre-tax) annual spend on decommissioning costs related to offshore oil andgas production activities as follows. All figures are in constant 2005 prices.
	
		
			   Gross pre-tax annual spend (£ billion) 
			 2016 0.5 
			 2015 0.7 
			 2014 0.9 
			 2013 0.4 
			 2012 0.4 
			 2011 0.4 
			 2010 0.4 
			 2009 0.2 
			 2008 0.2 
			 2007 0.2 
			 2006 0.1 
			 2005 0.1 
			 2004 0.1 
			 2003 0.1 
		
	
	The actual extent of decommissioning costs and the timing of decommissioning of individual fields is inherently uncertain and these figures can at best be only broadly indicative.
	 Renewables Generators
	For offshore renewables I understand that no decommissioning of major, commercial-scale installations is expected in the next 10 years, so costs would be limited to any decommissioning of small-scale demonstration devices that takes place.
	For onshore wind farms, we do include for decommissioning in our consents. This currently works out at between £3,500 and £5,000 per turbine depending on the status of the land.

Energy Security of Supply

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the reasons were for the delays in the publication of the sixth report of the Energy Security of Supply Working Group; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 11 May 2006
	The sixth report of the Joint Energy Security of Supply (JESS) working group was published on 16 May. Much of the information has been compiled using data already in the public domain. This includes National Grid's Ten Year Statement on gas published in December 2005 and Seven Year Statement on electricity which was updated in October 2005, information published on the Department's website, and company announcements about planned new infrastructure projects. There have also been several opportunities to update Parliament on the security of energy supply since last year's Secretary of State's report on security of gas and electricity supply. The latest JESS report pulls all this information together.

EU/ASEAN/NAFTA Trade

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the level of inter-member trade within the  (a) EU, (b) Association of South East Asian Nations and (c) North American Free Trade Agreement.

Ian McCartney: The information is as follows.
	 (a) Intra EU25 trade in goods in 2004 was $2,502.7 billion USD. For comparison, in 1999 intra EU25 trade was $1,600.9 billion USD (Source: Eurostat External Trade).
	 (b) Intra ASEAN trade in goods in 2004 was $123.7 billion USD. In 1999 it was $74.4 billion USD (Source: Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Please note these figures refer to the ASEAN 10 which includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
	 (c) Intra NAFTA trade in goods in 2004 was $739.2 billion USD. In 1999 it was $579.9 billion USD.

Fuel Prices

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average price of a gallon of heating fuel was in each country in the UK in March 2006.

Malcolm Wicks: The calculated March 2006 heating oil prices are:
	
		
			  Country  £/gallon 
			 Northern Ireland 1.59 
			 Scotland 1.57 
			 Wales 1.63 
			 England 1.63

Gas Pipeline

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of gas transported through the proposed LNG gas pipeline from Felindr to Tirley will be used in Wales.

Malcolm Wicks: This is a commercial matter for the companies concerned.

International Arms Trade Treaty

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what involvement he has had in the Government strategy to make progress on the international arms trade treaty.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 4 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1747W.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many  (a) vibration white finger and  (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims he expects to be settled in (i) 2006 and (ii) each of the following three years.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of claims we expect to settle in each year from 2006 onward is as follows:
	
		
			   Vibration white finger  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			 2006 22,500 135,932 
			 2007 16,000 81,650 
			 2008 3,500 43,988 
			 2009 (1)— 10,912 
			 (1 )All VWF claims are expected to have been settled before the end of 2008. 
		
	
	This is our projection based on current plans which may be subject to change.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the  (a) legal and  (b) other costs incurred since 1999 in defending claims for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for surface workers.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department estimates that approximately £160,000 has been spent on legal costs and £150,000 on other costs in relation to claims for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and surface workers.

Miners' Compensation

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many solicitors' firms have been investigated by his Department in connection with fees charged to ex-miners under the compensation scheme in  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005 and  (c) 2006.

Malcolm Wicks: Investigations into the professional conduct of solicitors is a matter for the Law Society. The Department did contact all solicitors involved in the schemes in 2003 to encourage them to refund any fees taken from claimants' compensation payments and many have done so. The Law Society also wrote earlier this year urging solicitors who have not already done so to return to all clients any additional charges made in these cases, and is also investigating some solicitors involved in the schemes.

Miners' Compensation

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what average award has been paid in Islwyn under the Government's compensation scheme for  (a) coal mining-related respiratory disease and (b) vibration white finger.

Malcolm Wicks: The average compensation figure paid in Islwyn for respiratory disease is £7,134 and for vibration white finger is £8,961.

Miners' Compensation

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with Capita about the way they handle witness statements supporting vibration white finger Group 3 claims.

Malcolm Wicks: Witness statements are an important and essential part of the verification of Group 3 claims, which Capita consider before making a decision on liability. Capita will seek to arrange a telephone interview with the witness as a means of clarification or to discuss any apparent inconsistencies in the statements made by the claimant and his witness. These interviews are recorded for quality monitoring purposes and claimants' solicitors receive a copy of the interview if so requested. DTI Officials continue to review progress with Capita to ensure they are carried out professionally.

Miners' Compensation

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects alterations to the Dust Calculation Model allowing the full accession of UK Coal plc to the Claims Handling Agreement in respect of coal health compensation to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The DTI and UK Coal have reached agreement on how the Dust Calculation Model should be implemented with regard to claims which have shared liability and offers which will discharge British Coal's liability are due to commence fromearly July.

Miners' Compensation

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many  (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and  (b) vibration white finger claims have been submitted from Tamworth constituency, broken down by district electoral ward.

Malcolm Wicks: Although I cannot provide statistics by electoral ward, I have broken down the claims submitted from Tamworth constituents by postcode (1). The figures are as follows:
	
		
			  Postcode  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease  Vibration White Finger 
			 B77 1,020 289 
			 B78 1,155 396 
			 B79 571 141 
			 WS14 33 5 
			 Total 2,781 831 
			 (1 )The postcodes listed include areas beyond the Tamworth constituency boundary. 
		
	
	The figures for Tamworth constituency are 1,700 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims and 437 vibration white finger claims submitted.

Miners' Pensions

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many deferred pensioners there are in the mineworkers' pension schemes.

Malcolm Wicks: As of 31 March 2006 the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme had 99,423 deferred members.

Mini-Motorcycles

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he takes to ensure that retailers act responsibly in the sale of mini-motorcycles.

Liam Byrne: I have been asked to reply.
	Police and local authorities have a number of powers available to deal with the misuse of these vehicles. The Anti-social Behaviour Unit has held Action Days to share best practice in tackling mini-moto nuisance and has provided guidance on the Together website. Local partnership approaches can usefully involve Trading Standards officials and liaison with retailers.

Northwest Regional Development Agency

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many jobs the Northwest Regional Development Agency has created in each  (a) district and borough council area and  (b) sector of the economy in Lancashire in the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The number of jobs created by the Northwest Regional Development Agency in each district and borough council in Lancashire is as follows:
	
		
			  Jobs created 
			  District  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 129 420 333 
			 Blackpool 15 20 29 
			 Burnley 13 136 59 
			 Hyndburn 19 3 3 
			 Lancaster 100 35 11 
			 Pendle 167 292 41 
			 Preston 41 117 0 
			 Kibble Valley 2 17 18 
			 Rossendale 16 17 59 
			 South Ribble 0 40 0 
			 West Lancashire 10 29 87 
			 Wyre 12 10 12 
			 Grand total 523 1,135 652 
		
	
	The agency does not organise its output information by sector. Output figures by district/borough council are only available from 2003-04, as records were not kept prior to that.

Patents

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are in place to ensure that parties seeking patents have gained access to genetic resources or associated knowledge in a legal way in the country of origin.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no measures under the laws of the UK, but a person violating the access laws of another country would be subject to any sanctions which may be provided for under those laws.

Post Offices

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices have been closed in  (a) Taunton constituency,  (b) Somerset and  (c) the United Kingdom in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I understand from Post Office Ltd. that information on the post office branch networkhas historically only been held at a national level. More recently records have been maintained at a Government office region and at parliamentary constituency level and this level of data commenced from the end of 2001-02.
	The number of post offices in the constituencies that cover Taunton constituency is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of post office branches 
			  Taunton constituency  Number 
			  2001-02 41 
			  2002-03 41 
			  2003-04 40 
			  2004-05 36 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of post office branches 
			  Somerset constituency  Number 
			  2001-02 218 
			  2002-03 215 
			  2003-04 205 
			  2004-05 195 
		
	
	Information for the network of branches for the whole of the UK is available for each year since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of post office branches 
			 1997 19,251 
			 1998 19,008 
			 1999 18,775 
			 2000 18,393 
			 2001 17,846 
			 2002 17,584 
			 2003 17,239 
			 2004 15,961 
			 2005 14,609

Power Lines

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many  (a) adults and  (b) children were (i) killed and (ii) injured as a result of coming into contact with high voltage power lines in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Wicks: For reporting years 2000-01 to 2004-05 the figures are as follows:
	
		
			  Reporting year  Adult fatalities  Adults injured  Child fatalities  Children injured 
			 2000-01 7 28 0 0 
			 2001-02 3 42 0 3 
			 2002-03 1 30 0 1 
			 2003-04 2 24 0 2 
			 2004-05 5 27 0 1 
			 Total 18 151 0 7

Pre-payment Meters

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure that customers using pre-payment meters are able to take advantage of price-capping offered by supply companies to other customers; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government welcome the range of tariffs developed and offered by gas and electricity suppliers, but the setting and marketing of tariffs, including fixed-price or capped tariffs, are commercial decisions for the companies concerned.

Private Office Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of his private office staff is  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) disabled.

Alistair Darling: My ministerial private offices comprise:
	 (a) 56 per cent. male staff
	 (b) 44 per cent. female staff
	I am not in a position to provide a percentage for  (c) disabled staff, since individuals could be identified and in any case, declaration of a disability is voluntary.

Regional Development Agencies

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the  (a) total budget and  (b) administrative costs of the regional development agencies were in each region in each year since their creation; and what the projected costs are for 2006-07.

Margaret Hodge: The following tables show the regional development agencies' budgets and administration costs for the financial years 1999-2000 to 2005-06 and indicative budgets and estimated administration costs for 2006-07.
	
		
			   1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02 
			   Budget( 1)  (£ million)  Administration  (£000)  Budget  (£ million)  Administration  (£000)  Budget  (£ million)  Administration  (£000) 
			 Advantage West Midlands 103 7,421 113 8,352 141 8,793 
			 East of England Development Agency 30 4,570 36 4,849 55 5,836 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 41 6,941 67 7,377 86 7,488 
			 London Development Agency — — 235 6,009 266 9,470 
			 North West Development Agency 141 11,837 156 13,876 270 14,044 
			 One North East 92 9,585 98 10,513 158 10,103 
			 South East England Development Agency 63 5,196 73 6,343 97 6,643 
			 South West Development Agency 43 7,255 62 8,380 85 9,099 
			 Yorkshire Forward 121 7,795 125 8,284 207 9,989 
		
	
	
		
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			   Budget  (£ million)  Administration  (£000)  Budget  (£ million)  Administration  (£000)  Budget  (£ million)  Administration  (£000) 
			 Advantage West Midlands 204 13,862 240 17,300 217 18,500 
			 East of England Development Agency 88 9,000 80 9,000 84 10,000 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 101 10,200 117 12,000 119 13,668 
			 London Development Agency 295 17,000 317 17,000 328 30,400 
			 North West Development Agency 274 21,619 309 29,925 367 32,449 
			 One North East 193 18,372 223 21,258 227 21,773 
			 South East England Development Agency 112 14.303 136 16,395 110 16,868 
			 South West Development Agency 103 14,242 99 16,044 113 15,944 
			 Yorkshire Forward 211 16,608 244 17,482 288 17,351 
		
	
	
		
			   2005-05  2006-07 
			   Budget  (£ million)  Administration  (£000)  Budget  (£ million)  Administration  (£000) 
			 Advantage West Midlands 272 20,000 284 20,000 
			 East of England Development Agency 129 11,200 134 10,900 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 156 15,000 163 16,000 
			 London Development Agency 373 29,500 391 (2) n/a 
			 North West Development Agency 382 38,792 400 38,144 
			 One North East 240 22,500 251 22,607 
			 South East England Development Agency 157 18,000 163 17,900 
			 South West Development Agency 153 19,773 159 21,222 
			 Yorkshire Forward 295 19,510 310 19,290 
			 (1) The expenditure figures are net of receipts that RDA's recycle (2) The London Development Agencies Administration Budget is subject to the approval of their draft 2006-07 Corporate Plan by the Mayor

Renewable Energy

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants are available to domestic households to install micro generation renewable energy equipment.

Malcolm Wicks: Grants for the installation of microgeneration technologies are available to householders through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP). This programme takes over from the Clear Skies and Major photovoltaics programmes, which finished in March 2006. The LCBP initially had £30 million to allocate—£1.5 million was used to ease the transition from the previous programmes and the remaining £28.5 million is dedicated to projects proposed by householders, communities and businesses. Further information can be found at www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk.
	The Chancellor announced a further £50 million for the LCBP in the Budget. This additional funding will be used for projects in the public sector.

Reviews (Agencies/Bodies)

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which  (a) non-departmental public bodies and  (b) executive agencies for which he is responsible have been subject to a peer review in 2005-06; what the (i) purpose, (ii) terms of reference and (iii) outcome was of each review; and what reference to the outcome of the review has been made when making funding decisions for those organisations.

Alistair Darling: The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) had a peer review in 2005-06. Its purpose was to ensure that the EOC is fit for purpose and able to carry out agreed objectives during the period up to October 2007 when it is due to be merged into the Commission for Equality and Human Rights.
	The terms of reference of the review were as follows:
	Ensuring that the EOC is deploying the resources at its disposal most effectively for its purpose and able to deliver agreed objectives and priorities in the period leading up to the creation of the CEHR in 2007.
	The operation of the management agreement and the financial memorandum agreed between the DTI and the EOC in November 2004 and the need for any revisions to reflect fully the interests of the Minister for Women.
	Assessing competing priorities in terms of organisational capacity.
	The review has now been successfully completed and the EOC is pursuing a number of recommendations.
	There were no other peer reviews of DTI sponsored bodies or agencies in 2005-06.

Severn Barrage

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the likely cost of a Severn barrage energy generation scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: Between 1978 and 1994 the Government supported the most comprehensive programme of research and development on tidal energy in the world at an overall cost in excess of£20 million. These studies considered schemes for tidal energy at a number of potential sites, the largest being in the Severn estuary.
	The results of the Severn barrage study were reported in Energy Paper 57 (ISBN 0 11 412952 5). In an assessment of the Government Tidal Programme published in 1994 (ETSU R-82) the capital cost of the Severn scheme was estimated to be £11.2 billion.
	The most recent study of the Severn scheme carried out by the Severn Tidal Power Group and publishedin 2003 (available at www.dti.gov.uk/files/file15363.pdf?pubpdfdload=02%2F644) estimated the cost to be in the range of £10.3 to £14 billion(2001 prices).

Sunday Trading

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations his Department has received from the lobby group Deregulate on further liberalisation of current Sunday trading laws.

Ian McCartney: From 13 January to 14 April, we asked for views on all aspects of relaxing restrictions on Sunday shopping hours, saying that responses could be provided in confidence. Deregulate responded to our review, asking that their submission be kept confidential. We intend to publish a summary of all the views expressed on our website (www.dti.gov.uk/consumers/buying-selling/Sunday%20Shopping), within three months of the close of the consultation.

Sunday Trading

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that employees understand their rights in relation to opting out of Sunday working.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Full information about the right of shop and betting workers to opt out of Sunday working is available in the employment section of the Directgov website (www.direct.gov.uk/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/fs/en).
	Employees who have questions about their employment rights can also call a free helpline to get advice run by ACAS 08457 474747.

Telephone Cold-calling

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to tackle telephone cold-calling from companies located outside the EU.

Margaret Hodge: The Department introduced the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) scheme in 1999, under the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations, which were updated by Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. The TPS scheme provides protection to consumers from cold-calling if they have previously notified the caller that they do not wish to receive such calls or have been registered with the TPS for at least 28 days. Those making cold calls from within the UK or on behalf of UK companies from outside the European Union are legally required not to call a number that has registered on the TPS list. However, cold calls from non-UK companies marketing a service or product are not covered by the TSP scheme, as the companies and products have no link with the UK. The Information Commissioner has responsibility for the enforcement of the TPS scheme and considers complaints about breaches.

Trade Statistics

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the level of UK trade was with  (a) European Monetary Union countries and (b) the rest of the world in each year since 1991.

Ian McCartney: In response to part  (a) the following table shows UK trade (exports and imports) in goods and services with economic monetary union countries since 1991.
	
		
			  UK trade in goods and services with the EU12 
			  £ million 
			  Country  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997 
			  UK exports
			 Austria 930 995 1,156 1,317 1,446 1,612 1,453 
			 Belgium and Luxembourg 6,649 6,594 8,170 8,507 9,748 10,013 10,086 
			 Finland 1,015 1,275 1,424 1,644 2,100 2,371 2,107 
			 France 13,605 13,718 14,751 16,398 18,290 20,403 20,068 
			 Germany 17,077 18,316 19,674 21,263 24,587 25,217 25,326 
			 Greece 994 1,140 1,322 1,380 1,555 1,680 1,658 
			 Ireland 6,074 6,808 7,552 8,685 9,750 10,879 11,646 
			 Italy 7,232 7,497 7,537 8,416 9,567 9,941 10,247 
			 Netherlands 9,215 9,972 9,804 11,490 14,444 15,914 16,738 
			 Portugal 1,238 1,433 1,671 1,588 1,820 2,049 2,067 
			 Spain 5,078 5,441 5,538 6,252 7,336 8,166 8,120 
			 EU12 total 69,107 73,189 78,599 86,940 100,643 108,245 109,516 
		
	
	
		
			  Country  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			  UK exports
			 Austria 1,529 1,549 1,532 1,601 1,655 1,646 1,481 
			 Belgium and Luxembourg 10,362 11,476 12,676 12,146 13,073 14,172 13,774 
			 Finland 1,961 2,002 2,414 2,459 2,246 2,325 2,300 
			 France 20,583 21,552 23,869 24,978 24,332 24,411 24,250 
			 Germany 25,719 25,907 29,226 30,367 28,969 27,783 28,465 
			 Greece 1,718 1,929 2,044 1,879 1,918 1,991 2,061 
			 Ireland 12,122 13,272 15,110 17,289 19,533 17,151 19,161 
			 Italy 10,939 10,506 11,038 11,128 11,313 11,375 11,382 
			 Netherlands 16,158 17,623 19,565 19,206 18,374 18,468 17,721 
			 Portugal 2,165 2,275 2,079 2,025 2,009 1,951 2,149 
			 Spain 8,920 9,576 10,513 10,534 11,004 11,683 11,763 
			 EU12 total 112,176 117,667 130,066 133,612 134,426 132,956 134,507 
		
	
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Country  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997 
			  UK imports
			 Austria 1,191 1,234 1,328 1,405 1,306 1,530 1,736 
			 Belgium and Luxembourg 6,027 6,312 7,488 7,867 9,201 10,216 10,628 
			 Finland 1,595 1,744 2,009 2,423 2,651 2,883 2,729 
			 France 13,434 14,988 16,748 18,732 20,401 21,128 22,738 
			 Germany 20,197 21,570 22,942 25,251 29,693 31,546 29,049 
			 Greece 1,148 1,241 1,247 1,438 1,470 1,313 1,341 
			 Ireland 4,868 5,679 6,285 6,859 8,139 8,879 9,031 
			 Italy 7,031 7,508 7,650 8,709 9,498 10,739 11,493 
			 Netherlands 10,862 10,966 10,373 11,747 13,260 14,361 14,155 
			 Portugal 1,465 1,671 1,779 1,852 2,123 2,443 2,591 
			 Spain 4,556 5,121 5,892 6,814 7,889 9,283 9,638 
			 EU12 total 72,374 78,034 83,741 93,097 105,631 114,321 115,129 
		
	
	
		
			  Country  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			  UK imports
			 Austria 1,864 1,898 1,877 2,389 3,074 3,414 3,029 
			 Belgium and Luxembourg 11,153 11,754 12,477 13,830 15,063 15,147 15,545 
			 Finland 2,545 2,669 3,167 3,323 3,067 2,970 2,613 
			 France 23,645 25,034 26,112 27,594 28,578 28,531 28,238 
			 Germany 28,763 31,385 32,965 34,888 37,502 38,724 40,438 
			 Greece 1,412 1,823 2,058 2,354 2,436 2,590 2,599 
			 Ireland 9,545 10,816 12,469 14,420 15,404 12,381 12,700 
			 Italy 12,054 11,965 12,327 12,815 13,759 14,812 15,527 
			 Netherlands 15,446 16,121 18,315 18,427 19,364 20,128 21,091 
			 Portugal 2,614 2,825 2,753 2,733 2,956 3,313 3,325 
			 Spain 10,935 11,881 12,616 14,540 16,969 18,106 18,085 
			 EU12 total 119,976 128,171 137,136 147,313 158,172 160,116 163,190 
		
	
	In respect of part  (b) UK trade with the world since 1991; the figures are as follows:
	
		
			  UK trade in goods and services with world (in £ million) 
			   Total exports  Total imports 
			 1991 135,940 142,061 
			 1992 144,091 151,659 
			 1993 163,640 170,125 
			 1994 180,508 185,255 
			 1995 203,509 207,051 
			 1996 224,169 227,519 
			 1997 232,887 232,031 
			 1998 231,034 238,978 
			 1999 239,494 254,911 
			 2000 267,347 286,597 
			 2001 273,116 300,061 
			 2002 274,945 306,496 
			 2003 282,231 313,213 
			 2004 289,959 328,384

TV Licences

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether additional Government funding to support a continued role for the Post Office in supplying television licences was discussed with the BBC prior to the decision to end the Post Office's contract to do so.

Jim Fitzpatrick: No. Post Office Ltd (POL) failed to secure the renewal of the contract to supply television licences following a competitive tender exercise run by the BBC. The decision to award the contract to another network was a commercial one made by the BBC as the television licensing authority looking to the interests of licence fee payers and seeking to achieve value for money with its licence fee income.

UN Conference (New York)

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials from his Department will attend the United Nations conference in New York from 26 June to 6 July 2006 to review progress made in the implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.

Malcolm Wicks: This is a matter for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who will lead the UK delegation.

Union Recognition (Retail Industry)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with  (a) employers and  (b) retailers on union recognition.

Jim Fitzpatrick: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has not recently held any discussions on this topic with employers or retailers.

Weights and Measures

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance the Government have issued to local authority trading standards services on the use of imperial weights and measures.

Ian McCartney: DTI provided guidance in 2004 to LACORS, which coordinates advice to the regulatory services of local authorities, on the use of switchable metric/imperial weighing machines. There is no other relevant guidance from Government specifically directed to local authority trading standards services, but DTI has issued more general guidance to the public and private sectors on the use of metric units.

World Trade Organisation Talks

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to encourage a positive outcome from the current World Trade Organisation talks.

Ian McCartney: The Government have been and remain fully committed to securing an ambitious, pro-development outcome to the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). In support of this objective, and to press the case for an agreement that facilitates world trade and meets the needs of developing nations, my predecessors were in regular contact with the EU Trade Commissioner, their counterparts in other EU member states, with the Director General of the WTO and with the Trade Ministers of other WTO member countries. They also remained in regular contact with business, NGOs and other interested parties in the UK and internationally, in order to help build a consensus of support for an ambitious outcome to the round. I expect to do the same.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Coroners' Inquests

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions took place between the Oxfordshire coroner and  (a) her Department and  (b) Lord Hutton before her decision to issue a death certificate for Dr. David Kelly on 18 August 2003.

Harriet Harman: I did not issue a death certificate for Dr. David Kelly. It is the responsibility of the local registrar to issue death certificates or more properly certified copies of entries in the register of deaths.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the Secretary of State will answer the letter dated 10 April from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Ms Nusrat Bibi.

Harriet Harman: The Secretary of State replied to the right hon. Member on 19 May. I apologise for the delay.

Court of Protection

Tim Farron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people have died while their cases were being dealt with by the Court of Protection in each year since 1997 in  (a) Westmorland and Lonsdale and  (b) England and Wales.

Harriet Harman: The number of people in England and Wales who have died while under the jurisdiction of the Court of Protection pursuant to the proceedings of the Mental Health Act 1983 from 1999 to 2006 are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 1999 6,347 
			 2000 5,692 
			 2001 5,589 
			 2002 5,055 
			 2003 4,946 
			 2004 4,778 
			 2005 5,234 
			 2006 1,911 
		
	
	The court only holds records for six years following the end of its involvement in the client's case and it is not therefore possible to provide reliable data prior to this period. Neither is it possible to provide this information for clients living in Westmorland and Lonsdale.
	The court does not hold reliable information on the number of donors who have died while under its jurisdiction pursuant to the proceedings of the Enduring Power of Attorney Act 1985.

Court Service

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on the recent performance of the Court Service in Cambridgeshire.

Harriet Harman: The information is as follows:
	 Ineffective trials (PSA 1)
	2005-06 Crown—14.7 per cent. Target 14 per cent.
	2005-06 Mags—16.1 per cent. Target 16.5 per cent.
	 Timeliness (PSA 1)
	2005-06 Crown—80.93 per cent. Target 78 per cent.
	YTD (Dec) Mags—33 days from first listing to completion. No formal target.
	 Persistent Young Offenders (PSA 1)
	2005-06 Area (Crown and Mags)—65 days. Target 71 days or less.
	 Payment rate (PSA 2)
	2005-06 Mags—89 per cent. Target 81 per cent.
	 Confiscation Orders (PSA 2)
	2005-06 Mags—Outstanding Balance rate—5 per cent. Target—less than 50 per cent.
	2005-06 Orders closed—35 per cent. Target—greater than 25 per cent.
	 Family Public Law (PSA 4)
	Percentage cases completed within 40 weeks
	2005-06 Care Centre—53.1 per cent. Local target 59.4 per cent.
	2005-06 Family Proceedings Court—56 per cent. Local target 52.8 per cent.
	 Family Private Law
	2005-06 County—76 per cent. Target 70 per cent.
	 Adoptions
	2005-06 County—70.6 per cent. Target 70 per cent.
	 County Court Small Claims
	2005-06 88.7 per cent. Target 80.5 per cent.
	 County Court Fast Track
	2005-06 82.1 per cent. Target 78 per cent.
	 County Court Multi Track
	2005-06 78.7 per cent. Target 78 per cent.

Court Statistics

Rudi Vis: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many black and minority ethnic people were  (a) sentenced and  (b) remanded by each court in (i) 2003 and (ii) 2004.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	Information relating to the number of black and minority ethnic people sentenced and remanded for 2003 is available at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/s95race04.pdf. Data relating to 2004 is not yet available.

Courthouses

Bob Russell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 May 2006,  Official Report, column 147W, if she will list  (a) the locations of the new private finance initiative courthouses and  (b) the companies who provided them.

Harriet Harman: The 15 PFI courthouses built and the companies that provided them are as follows:
	1. Hereford, Kidderminster, Worcester and Redditch(1 )magistrates courts in 2001—Hereford and Worcester Courts Ltd. (equity held by Babcock & Brown Properties Ltd.)
	2. Hull, Beverly and Bridlington magistrates courts in 2001—Modern Courts Humberside Ltd. (equity held by Mowlems plc and Innisfree)
	3. Derby and Chesterfield magistrates courts in 2003—Derbyshire Courts Ltd. (equity held by Babcock & Brown Properties Ltd.)
	4. Manchester magistrates court in 2004—UK Courts Services (Manchester) Ltd. (a consortium of Group 4 now GSL, Carillion and Societe Generale).
	5. Exeter Combined courts in 2004—Enterprise Civil Buildings Ltd. (a consortium of HSBC Ltd., Alfred McAlpine Ltd. and Sodexho Ltd.)
	6. Ipswich and Cambridge Crown courts in 2004—Modern Courts Holdings (East Anglia) Ltd. (equity held by Mowlems plc).
	7. Sheffield Family Hearing Centre in 2004—Palecastle Ltd.
	8. North Somerset (Worle) magistrates courthouse in April 2006—Services Support (Avon and Somerset) Ltd. (a consortium of Amey, Equion and Bank of Scotland).
	(1) Redditch magistrates court was a refurbishment.

Departmental Legislation

David Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list those  (a) Acts and  (b) parts of Acts which received Royal Assent between 1976 and 2006 for which her Department has policy responsibility and which remain in force.

Bridget Prentice: The information requested for the period of time covered by the question can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Electoral Fraud

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many incidents of postal vote fraud were recorded in Coventry South on 4 May 2006.

Bridget Prentice: I am not aware of any such incidents. Any allegations of electoral fraud should be reported to the returning officer and the police, who will make the appropriate investigations into them.

European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act

David Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on the operation of the European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act 2004; and what recent representations she has received about the operation of this Act.

Bridget Prentice: The European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act 2004 (EPLE(P) Act) provided for the piloting of all-postal voting in four electoral regions at the 2004 combined European and local elections. The Electoral Commission published evaluations of each region's pilot in August 2004. At the same time, they also published an overarching report "Delivering Democracy? The future of postal voting". All of the Commission's reports are available on its website: www.electoralcommission.org.uk.
	The Government published its response to "Delivering Democracy?" in December 2004 (Cm 6436).
	All-postal voting in general, including the operation of the EPLE(P) Act 2004, has been debated in both Houses as the Electoral Administration Bill has progressed through Parliament. Aside from this I have received no recent representations on the operation of the Act.

Financial Review

Michael Meacher: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many applications for financial review have been made in each year since 1990; how many cases the High Court agreed to hear in each year; and in how many cases it found against the Government.

Harriet Harman: The number of applications for permission/leave to apply for judicial review are set out in the following table which also shows the number of applications in which permission/leave was granted in the relevant year. As to whether the cases were against the Government and the results of those cases, this information can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Judicial review civil and criminal—Applications for permission 
			   Received  Granted 
			 1990 2,129 902 
			 1991 2,089 923 
			 1992 2,439 1,123 
			 1993 2,886 1,049 
			 1994 3,208 1,260 
			 1995 3,604 1,393 
			 1996 3,901 1,257 
			 1997 3,739 1,278 
			 1998 4,539 1,020 
			 1999 4,959 1,373 
			 2000 4,247 1,464 
			 2001 4,732 1,400 
			 2002 5,377 1,124 
			 2003 5,949 1,440 
			 2004 4,207 1,036 
			 2005 5,381 744

Free Air Miles

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many free air miles have been accrued by senior civil servants in her Department on official business in each of the last three years; and how they were used.

Vera Baird: The Department can provide the information requested only at disproportionate cost.

Inquests (Armed Forces)

Alex Salmond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many inquests into the deaths of members of the armed forces as a result of military duties in Iraq have been carried out by  (a) the Oxfordshire coroner,  (b) the Fairford coroner,  (c) the Lyneham coroner and  (d) other coroners since 2003.

Harriet Harman: I understand that the number of inquests opened in relation to members of the armed forces who died as a result of military duties in Iraq since 2003 are as follows:
	 (a) Oxfordshire coroner: 86;
	 (b) Gloucestershire coroner (for Fairford): 0;
	 (c) Wiltshire and Swindon coroner (for Lyneham) 11; and
	 (d) other coroners: 2 (West London and Powys).
	Concluded inquests as of 15 May 2006 are
	 (a) Oxfordshire coroner: 29
	 (b) Gloucestershire coroner (for Fairford) 0
	 (c) Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner (for Lyneham): 0
	 (d) Other coroners: 1 (Powys).

Northern Ireland Legal Services

Lady Hermon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on the strategy for merging the Northern Ireland Tribunal Service and the Northern Ireland Court Service; and when she expects the merger to be completed.

Bridget Prentice: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced on 21 March that the Northern Ireland Court Service will assume administrative responsibility for Northern Ireland departmental tribunals as part of a new Courts and Tribunals Service. A Tribunals Service planning group has been established and will enter into discussions with the relevant Northern Ireland sponsor departments to agree a timescale for the transfer of responsibility of the various tribunals through a staged process which is likely to take several years.
	At the same time, the Court Service will be responsible for establishing any new tribunals which are required including the proposed Rating Valuation Tribunal for Northern Ireland.

Parliamentary Boundaries

Anthony Steen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when she will lay the order transferring responsibility for parliamentary boundaries from the Boundary Commissions to the Electoral Commission; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: Section 16 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 outlines the arrangements for the transfer of the functions of the Parliamentary Boundary Commissions to the Electoral Commission. The Government are still considering the timings for the transfer to take place. As the functions of the Electoral Commission are currently subject to a review Committee on Standards in Public Life, the Government will wish to take into account the findings of that review before it reaches any decisions in the timings of the transfers.

Party Funding

Lady Hermon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list leaders of political parties represented at Westminster to whom the Lord Chancellor has written seeking views on elements of a reporting regime of loans received further to the Lord Chancellor's statement in the House of Lords on 20 March.

Bridget Prentice: pursuant to the reply, 8 May 2006, Official Report, c. 124W
	My previous answer provided a list of those to whom the Lord Chancellor had written on 20 March seeking views on elements of a reporting regime for loans. While the Lord Chancellor did write to Lord Rogan, I incorrectly referred to him as the Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. The Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party is Sir Reg Empey.

Postal and Proxy Voting

David Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what representations she has received regarding  (a) postal voting and  (b) proxy voting in London following the local elections.

Bridget Prentice: In relation to the recent local elections in London, I have received two representations regarding postal voting and no representations regarding proxy voting. Following on from an oral parliamentary question to me on postal voting fraud from the hon. Member for Congleton (Ann Winterton) on 9 May, the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Djanogly) referred to postal voting allegations in the recent election in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. More recently, I have received a parliamentary question from the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans), which also refers to the allegations in Tower Hamlets.

Private Office Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of her private office staff are  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) disabled.

Vera Baird: On 31 December 2005, there were 66 permanent members of staff in the Private Office Directorate of the Department for Constitutional Affairs. This figure includes the Permanent Secretary, Special Advisers and Crown Office staff but does not include temporary staff from agencies.
	Of these 66 staff:
	 (a) 35 were male (53.03 per cent.);
	 (b) 31 were female (46.97 per cent.);
	 (c) Under the Disability Discrimination Act, departmental records of disabled staff are solely based on voluntary declaration of disability and not connected in any way to a formal register of disability.
	In accordance with civil service policy, information concerning the disability status (or the ethnic origin) of individuals may not be disclosed where the number of staff in a particular category is less than five. This is to ensure that individuals cannot be identified.
	Of the 66 staff in post in Private Office Directorate on the 31 December 2006, some staff had declared themselves as disabled, some as non-disabled and others had opted to remain undeclared in respect of whether or not they had a disability.

Promotion Boards

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many promotion boards have been held in her Department in each of the last five years.

Vera Baird: The Department for Constitutional Affairs does not operate a promotion board system. All posts are advertised and staff apply under our job specific selection procedures. This allows staff to apply for posts on promotion or level transfer. This system has operated in the DCA for over five years and we would incur disproportionate costs to provide figures on staff promoted under these procedures.
	For posts within the senior civil service applicants who are invited to attend an interview for a senior civil service post attend an assessment centre prior to a panel interview.

Property Rights

Michael Spicer: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to amend current legislation to give a spouse an absolute right to an equal share with their husband or wife in property even where his or her name does not appear on the deeds.

Harriet Harman: The Government have no plans to bring forward proposals to give a spouse an absolute equal right to property. The ownership of matrimonial property is most often an issue in divorce proceedings. The Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 governs the division of property on divorce and sets out a number of factors to be taken into account by the courts when considering that division. The prime consideration is the welfare of any children. Other factors include the contribution, both financial and other, that each spouse has made and the length of the marriage. The courts often make property adjustment orders as part of an assessment based on the future needs of the divorcing spouses and the needs of any children involved. Every marriage is different and circumstances vary so much that it would not be equitable in many cases to impose an automatic equal right.

Racial Abuse Complaints

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many complaints of racial abuse have been  (a) investigated and  (b) upheld in her Department in each of the last five years.

Vera Baird: The numbers of these types of complaints investigated by the Department over the last five financial years is less than five in each of those years. The breakdown by number is therefore not disclosed on grounds of confidentiality.
	The Department has an equality and diversity grievance procedure in place to deal with such complaints and trained investigating officers are appointed to investigate the allegations. The equality and diversity grievance procedure is made available to staff in the employee manual and on the intranet.

Voter Registration

Eric Pickles: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate the Electoral Commission has made of the level of voter registration for local elections in England in each year since it was created.

Peter Viggers: I have agreed to reply as the question relates to the work of the Electoral Commission.
	The Commission informs me that it does not make estimates of the level of voter registration for the local elections in England. However, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects and publishes annually information on the number of people registered to vote in such local elections.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Accidents at Work

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were involved in an accident at work in each of the last 20 years; and what percentage of the workforce this represented in each year.

Anne McGuire: The number or reported injuries to workers in Great Britain 1986-87 to 2004-05 is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of injuries  Percentage of workforce 
			 1986-87 181,832 (1)— 
			 1987-88 182,390 (1)— 
			 1988-89 186,327 (1)— 
			 1989-90 189,290 (1)— 
			 1990-91 184,543 0.72 
			 1991-92 173,404 0.70 
			 1992-93 161,675 0.67 
			 1993-94 155,734 0.64 
			 1994-95 160,844 0.66 
			 1995-96 150,968 0.61 
			 1996-97 159,175 0.62 
			 1997-98 166,049 0.63 
			 1998-99 162,450 0.61 
			 1999-2000 165,648 0.59 
			 2000-01 163,266 0.58 
			 2001-02 159,763 0.56 
			 2002-03 158,554 0.55 
			 2003-04 164,339 0.56 
			 2004-05(2) 153,160 0.52 
			 (1 )Employment data for workers not available for these years. (2) Provisional.  Notes: 1. Data for 1986-87 to 1995-96 reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1985; data from 1996-97 reported under RIDDOR 1995. Injuries comprise fatal, major and over three-day injuries to workers. 2. The annual basis is the planning year from 1 April to 31 March. 3. RIDDOR statistics are those reported by employers and others to all enforcing authorities. 4. Estimates of work-related injuries have also been available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) since 1994-95. Comparing LFS estimates with the injuries reported suggests that not all non-fatal accidents are reported, and that the level of reporting by employers has varied between 41 per cent. and 48 per cent. However, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does know about all fatal injuries at work. 
		
	
	We are pleased to note that these figures reflect a steady downward trend in the percentage of the workforce injured while at work.
	We continue to deliver the HSC's risk-based strategy to improve Great Britain's health and safety performance through a targeted programme of interventions that concentrates our resources on the highest areas of incidence and the poorest performers.

Action Teams

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the areas served by action teams.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 16 May 2006
	The information is in the tables.
	
		
			  Jobcentre Plus action teams 
			  Region/county  District  Action team 
			 London Central London Islington 
			  City and East London Hackney 
			  Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth Lambeth 
			  North and North East London Waltham Forest 
			  South and South East London Greenwich 
			  South and South East London Lewisham 
			
			 South East Kent Thanet 
			
			 North East Northumbria and Gateshead Newcastle 
			  Northumbria and Gateshead Wansbeck 
			  South Tyne, Sunderland and Durham Chester le Street 
			  South Tyne, Sunderland and Durham Easington 
			  South Tyne, Sunderland and Durham South Tyneside 
			  South Tyne, Sunderland and Durham Sunderland 
			  South Tyne, Sunderland and Durham Wear Valley 
			  Tees Valley Hartlepool 
			  Tees Valley Stockton 
			
			 North West East Lancashire Blackburn with Darwen 
			  Greater Mersey Halton 
			  Greater Mersey Knowsley 
			  Greater Manchester Central Manchester Central 
			  Greater Manchester Central Manchester North 
			  Greater Manchester Central Manchester South 
			  Greater Manchester Central Salford 
			  Liverpool and Wirral St. Helens 
			  Liverpool and Wirral Wirral 
			  Cumbria Barrow in Furness 
			
			 Scotland Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway East Ayrshire 
			  Forth Valley, Fife and Tayside Dundee 
			  Highland, Islands, Clyde and Grampian Highlands and Islands 
			  Highland, Islands, Clyde and Grampian West Dunbartonshire 
			  Lanarkshire and East Dunbarton North Lanarkshire 
			
			 South West Devon and Cornwall Cornwall 
			
			 Wales Bridgend and Eastern Valleys Bridgend(1) 
			  Bridgend and Eastern Valleys Rhondda Cynon Taff 
			  South East Wales, Cardiffand Vale Torfaen(1) 
			  Swansea and Eastern Valleys Swansea(1) 
			  Swansea and West Wales Carmarthen(1) 
			  Swansea and West Wales Ceredigion(1) 
			  Swansea and West Wales Neath Port Talbot 
			  Swansea and West Wales Pembrokeshire 
			
			 West Midlands Black Country Wolverhampton 
			
			 Yorkshire and Humberside South Yorkshire Barnsley and Rotherham 
			  North and East Yorkshire Hull 
			  South Yorkshire Sheffield 
			 (1) Teams that are part of Wales Objective One Action Team.  Source: Jobcentre Plus Products Division. 
		
	
	
		
			  Private sector led action teams 
			  Region/county  District  Action team 
			 London Brent, Harrow, Hillingdon and West London Brent 
			  North and North East London Haringey 
			  City and East London Newham 
			  Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth Southwark 
			  City and East London Tower Hamlets 
			
			 South East Surrey and Sussex Brighton and Hove 
			
			 North East Tees Valley Middlesbrough 
			  Tees Valley Redcar and Cleveland 
			
			 North West Liverpool and Wirral Liverpool Central 
			  Liverpool and Wirral Liverpool North 
			  Liverpool and Wirral Liverpool South 
			  Greater Mersey Sefton 
			
			 Scotland Glasgow Glasgow Central and East 
			  Glasgow Glasgow North 
			  Glasgow Glasgow South 
			  Glasgow Glasgow West 
			
			 South West Devon and Cornwall Plymouth 
			
			 Wales Bridgend and Eastern Valleys Blaenau Gwent 
			  Bridgend and Eastern Valleys Caerphilly 
			  Bridgend and Eastern Valleys Merthyr Tydfil 
			  North West Wales and Wrexham North West Wales 
			
			 West Midlands Birmingham and Solihull Birmingham North 
			  Birmingham and Solihull Birmingham South 
			
			 Yorkshire and Humberside South Yorkshire Doncaster 
			  Source: Jobcentre Plus Products Division.

Asbestos-related Deaths

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have died from asbestos-related conditions in  (a) England,  (b) Scotland,  (c) Wales and  (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Anne McGuire: The number of deaths from mesothelioma and asbestosis combined in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years for which data are available is given in the following table:
	
		
			   1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002( 1)  2003( 1) 
			 England 1,119 1,154 1,194 1,236 1,383 1,462 1,482 1,700 1,715 1,729 
			 Scotland 129 158 144 138 166 163 151 166 182 179 
			 Wales 51 53 53 57 52 51 70 77 78 76 
			 Northern Ireland 34 39 38 43 48 53 45 66 54 57 
			 (1) Provisional  Sources: Health & Safety Executive British mesothelioma and asbestosis registers, Health & Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) 
		
	
	The number of asbestos-related lung cancer deaths cannot be directly enumerated, since asbestos-related lung cancers are clinically indistinguishable from lung cancers due to other causes. Current evidence suggests that the number of asbestos-related lung cancer deaths is similar to the number of deaths due to mesothelioma. Therefore, since mesothelioma deaths account for the vast majority in the table, the total number of deaths due to asbestos is approximately double those given in the table.

Benefit/Allowance Claim Forms

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent, excluding staff costs, on administering  (a) disability living allowance,  (b) attendance allowance,  (c) carers' allowance and  (d) incapacity benefit claim forms in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: Information is not available in the format requested. The Department now accounts for its administration and benefit expenditure by Strategic Objective, as set out in its public service agreements (PSA), and by individual Requests for Resources (RfRs), as set out in the Departmental estimates and accounts.

Benefits

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2006,  Official Report, column 795W, on benefits, what the reasons are for the variations between the budgeted expenditure for council tax benefit in the answer and the outturn figures for expenditure on council tax benefit set out in table 8 of the pre-Budget report 2005.

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Mr. MacNeil), 1 March 2006,  Official Report, column 796W, on benefits, for what reasons the budgeted expenditure for council tax benefit varies from the outturn figures for expenditure on council tax benefit set out in table 8 of the pre-Budget report 2005.

James Plaskitt: The budgeted amounts given in my reply of 1 March 2006,  Official Report, column 795W, are derived from departmental reports and reflect the provision made for expenditure in the relevant years. The figures in the outturn expenditure tables, which are consistent with pre-Budget reports, provide details of adjusted expenditure. The two sets of figures are not directly comparable.

Cold Weather Payments

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the monitoring of cold weather temperatures for cold weather payments is carried out in each English region.

James Plaskitt: Under the current cold weather payment scheme every residential postcode is linked to one of 74 weather stations, 44 of which cover England. Cold weather payments are made to all eligible customers when the average daily temperature is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to their postcode.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that the hon. Member for Walsall, North is sent a reply to his letter of 20 April 2006 to the manager of the Works and Pensions Office, St. Nicholas Street, Hereford, on bereavement benefit for a constituent.

James Plaskitt: A reply to my hon. Friend's letter of 20 April was sent on 16 May.

Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Disability Carers Service will reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West's letter of 8 February 2006 with regard to his constituent, Mrs. Elaine Fordyce.

Anne McGuire: Terry Moran, Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, replied to the hon. Member on 5 May 2006. The letter of 8 February appeared not to have been received by DCS.
	 Letter from Terry Moran, dated 5 May 2006:
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when you would receive a reply to your letter of 8 February 2006 about entitlement to Carer's Allowance (CA) for Mrs Elaine Fordyce of 10 Springfield Crescent, South Queensferry, West Lothian, EH30 9SB. I am sorry that your letter was not replied to but I do not appear to have received the original and only became aware you had written after you raised your concerns in the House of Commons.
	The circumstances surrounding Mrs Fordyce's claim for CA have been carefully and sympathetically reconsidered but regrettably I can only confirm that her award cannot be backdated to 27 July 2004. We have considered all statutory means with which to backdate the claim but the rules governing this are clear and cannot be relaxed or varied no matter how compelling an individual's circumstances might be.
	As you know we also considered whether a special payment should be made because Mrs Fordyce has lost out on entitlement to benefit as a direct result of a clear and unambiguous error made by the department. It is appreciated that without a record of the conversation held between Mrs Fordyce and the Benefit Enquiry Line it is difficult to confirm what was actually said. However, as explained, our advisors are fully conversant with the rules for claiming CA and deal with a great number of enquiries on this very issue on a daily basis. I am confident, therefore, that they would have provided the correct advice to Mrs Fordyce. In view of this a special payment could not be made.
	Despite the fact that it is clearly stated on the DLA claim pack that if carer's want to claim CA they should do so straightaway, we were aware that some carers chose to wait for a decision on DLA before claiming. With new legislation, brought in from10 April 2006, there is no longer the need to claim both benefits at the same time. As long as the claim for CA is made within three months of the decision being made on the claim to DLA the carer can request backdating to the start of the DLA award date. Although this will not help Mrs Fordyce it should ensure that this situation does not reoccur and affect other carers.
	If Mrs Fordyce needs any further information or assistance in connection with her CA Nicola Moorby, the Team Leader responsible for her claim, will be pleased to help. She can be contacted by writing to The Carer's Allowance Unit, Palatine House, Lancaster Road, Preston, PR1 1ZW or by telephoning 01772 899915.
	If Mrs Fordyce is unhappy with the way her complaint has been dealt with and wants to take the matter further, she can, within six months of the date at the top of this letter, contact the Independent Case Examiner (ICE) for the Disability and Carers Service who will consider complaints about our service, though not matters of law or Government policy. ICE can be contacted in writing at PO Box 155, Chester CH99 9SA, by telephone 0845 6060777 or by e-mail ice@ukgov.demon.co.uk.
	I am sorry that this will be a disappointing reply for Mrs Fordyce but I can assure you that everything has been done to backdate her claim.

Departmental Bills (Amendments)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the occasions when an amendment has been moved by  (a) a Labour backbencher,  (b) an Opposition backbencher and (c) an Opposition front bench spokesman to a Bill sponsored by his Department that has been accepted by his Department during the current session; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: There has been no such occasion.

Graveyard Safety

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate the Health and Safety Executive has made of the number of headstones removed for safety reasons in the last 12 months.

Anne McGuire: Neither HSE nor the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) has central records of the number of headstones removed for safety reasons. The Government are committed to finding a way forward on this difficult issue, which strikes a balance between safety and the sensitivities of relatives. A cross-departmental group has started work on new guidance to help burial authorities with the problem.

Housing Benefit (War Veterans)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which local authorities in England and Wales allow a discretionary award for  (a) veterans disabled during the second world war and  (b) their widows in the assessment of housing benefit; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: Currently, all local authorities in England and Wales allow discretionary disregards for war disablement pensioners and war widows' pensioners above the statutory £10.00 disregard. All these disregards apply regardless of when the disability occurred.

Incapacity Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Government target of reducing the overall number of incapacity benefit claimants by 1 million over the next decade takes account of the number of new claimants eligible in this time span.

Anne McGuire: Our aspiration of a million fewer people claiming incapacity benefits over a decade does indeed take account of the volume of people making a new claim for the benefit and the number of people leaving the benefit. That is why our ambitious proposals outlined in the Welfare Reform Green Paper encompass helping people to retain the jobs they have; get back into employment where they do not have one; and help them stay in work when they get a job.
	Our measures are already working, reversing a trend which saw an additional 1.7 million more people claiming incapacity benefits between 1979 and 1997.
	While it is difficult to model the precise impact of our proposed measures at this early stage, the Green Paper sets out our aspiration to see a million fewer claimants of incapacity benefits over the course of a decade through the combined efforts of the Government, employers, local authorities and health professionals.

Incapacity Benefit

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people received incapacity benefit in each year since 1991, broken down by the condition that enables them to claim this benefit;
	(2)  how many incapacity benefit recipients experienced  (a) mental and  (b) behavioural disorder in each year since 1992, broken down by the type of disorder.

Anne McGuire: Information about incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants broken down by their primary diagnosis is available from 1995. The available information has been placed in the Library.

Jobcentre Plus

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disability employment officers there are; where they are located; what criteria are used in deciding on their location; and whether account is taken of the number of disabled people in a particular area in determining locations.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 9 May 2006
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many disability employment officers there are; where they are located; what criteria are used in deciding on their location; and whether account is taken of the number of disabled people in a particular area in determining locations. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus currently has 570 Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) nationally. A regional breakdown of where they are located is set out in the table.
	
		
			  Disability Employment Advisers 
			   Number 
			 East Midlands 29 
			 East of England 37 
			 London 73 
			 North East 45 
			 North West 85 
			 Scotland 49 
			 South East 48 
			 South West 46 
			 Wales 41 
			 West Midlands 62 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 55 
			 Total 570 
		
	
	Local managers have the maximum flexibility in deciding where to locate DEAs. Their decisions take into account local factors, such as the number of disabled people, so that resources are deployed to best meet their customers' needs.
	Not all disabled people need to see a DEA. Specialist incapacity benefit personal advisers (SIBPAs) also work with such customers. Jobcentre Plus currently has 595 SIBPAs nationally. A regional breakdown of where they are located is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Specialist incapacity benefit personal advisers 
			   Number 
			 East Midlands 56 
			 East of England 74 
			 London 25 
			 North East 63 
			 North West 61 
			 Scotland 89 
			 South East 16 
			 South West 76 
			 Wales 51 
			 West Midlands 33 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 51 
			 Total 595

Jobcentre Plus

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training  (a) disability employment advisers and  (b) other Jobcentre Plus staff receive on awareness of the needs of (i) visually impaired people and (ii) other groups with impairments.

Anne McGuire: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what training (a) disability employment advisers and (b) other Jobcentre Plus staff receive on awareness of the needs of (i) visually impaired people and (ii) other groups with impairments. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	A "Working with customers with a Health Condition or Disability" learning module forms a core part of training for all customer facing staff. All advisers who specialise in interviewing people with a disability or health condition, including disability employment advisers (DEAs), receive specialist training which includes this module.
	The module provides an overview of health conditions and disabilities and raises staff awareness of various impairments. It looks at attitudes towards disability and suggests the appropriate approach to take in supporting our customers with disabilities. The content of this module includes specific advice on how best to help those people with visual impairments.
	Since April 2006, DEAs have had to complete the generic Adviser Skills training of around 22 days, followed by the specialist DEA training.
	The approach for DEA training has moved away from focussing on any specific disabilities towards giving advisers the skills to help the individual to recognise their abilities and think through their barriers to work. DEAs also have access to Work Psychologists if they need additional help and advice to assist people with specific impairments.
	I hope this is helpful.

Kvaerner Pension Fund

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the implication for pensions protection of the decision of the Pensions Regulator in the case of the Kvaerner Pension Fund; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: This is a matter for the Pensions Regulator who has investigated the circumstances of the case.
	The action taken by the regulator is in line with its statutory objective to reduce the risk of situations arising that may lead to claims for compensation from the Pension Protection Fund.

Kvaerner Pension Fund

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the Pension Regulator's decision to give clearance to the Kvaerner Pension Fund ceasing to be a sponsoring employer.

James Purnell: holding answer 15 May 2006
	No. This is a matter for the Pensions Regulator.

Kvaerner Pension Fund

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Kvaerner Pension Fund is eligible to enter the Pension Protection Fund at a future date.

James Purnell: The criteria for eligibility to the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) are set out in the Pensions Act 2004 and accompanying regulations. The eligibility of the Kvaerner scheme at any particular time would depend on whether it met those requirements at that time.

Kvaerner Pension Fund

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has been informed of an application by the Kvaerner Pension Fund to seek entry into the Pension Protection Fund; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: holding answer 15 May 2006
	Scheme entry to a Pension Protection Fund (PPF) assessment period is triggered by the occurrence of a qualifying insolvency event. The PPF has received no approach regarding entry of the Kvaerner pension scheme to the Fund.

Kvaerner Pension Fund

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the application by the Kvaerner Pension Fund to the Pensions Regulator to cease its responsibilities as a sponsoring employer.

James Purnell: holding answer 16 May 2006
	None. This is a matter for the Pensions Regulator.

Mental Illness

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have received benefits on the basis of mental illness in each of the last five years; and what the cost was.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available in the format requested. Information on the key benefits paid to people with a primary diagnosis within the mental and behavioural disorders or mental health or learning difficulties diagnoses groups is in the tables.
	The estimates of benefit expenditure provided understates the true costs of benefit spending on those with the stated conditions, as they do not include any additional income-related benefits which may be in payment. The expenditure figures provided do not include any costs associated with administering the specified benefits.
	
		
			  Numbers receiving specified benefits with mental and behavioural disorders or mental health or learning difficulties, 2000-01 to 2004-05 
			  Thousand 
			   Incapacity benefit  Severe disablement allowance  Attendance allowance  Disability living allowance 
			 2000-01 752 144 132 466 
			 2001-02 807 142 131 506 
			 2002-03 871 129 124 551 
			 2003-04 917 125 124 598 
			 2004-05 956 121 126 643 
			  Notes: 1. Figures for incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance relate to cases that have been diagnosed as having a mental and behavioural disorder. Diagnoses are based on the International Classification of Diseases. For attendance allowance and disability living allowance cases relate to primary diagnosis of mental health problems or learning difficulties. 2. All figures are in thousands, rounded to the nearest thousand. 3. All figures relate to financial years and are based on averages of underlying quarterly data. 4. Figures for attendance allowance and disability living allowance are consistent with Table 1.1a of the published Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, which take account of late terminations and provide a comparable series over time. Figures are subject to a degree of sampling variation.  Source:  Information for incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance is based on DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. Information for attendance allowance and disability living allowance is based on DWP Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, 5 per cent. sample data. 
		
	
	
		
			  Estimated total benefit expenditure, for specified benefits, for those with mental and behavioural disorders or mental health or learning difficulties, 2000-01 to 2004-05 
			  £ million, 2006-07 prices 
			   Incapacity benefit  Severe disablement allowance  Attendance allowance  Disability living allowance 
			 2000-01 1,909 455 370 1,329 
			 2001-02 1,985 464 369 1,465 
			 2002-03 2,070 415 351 1,562 
			 2003-04 2,121 401 351 1,705 
			 2004-05 2,155 390 356 1,833 
			  Notes: 1. All figures are estimates of expenditure by main diagnosis. 2. Figures for incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance relate to cases that have been diagnosed as having a mental and behavioural disorder. Diagnoses are based on the International Classification of Diseases. For attendance allowance and disability living allowance cases relate to primary diagnosis of mental health problems or learning difficulties.  3. All figures are consistent with the historical outturn expenditure figures published in the DWP's Benefit Expenditure which can be found on the Department for Work and Pensions website at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure, asp. 4. All figures are in real terms, calculated using the latest GDP deflator. 5. All figures are rounded to the nearest million pounds.  Source:  Information for incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance is based on DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. Information for attendance allowance and disability living allowance is based on DWP Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, 5 per cent. sample data.

Ministerial Cars (Fuel Costs)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the fuel costs were for ministerial cars used by the Department in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 27 April 2006,  Official Report, column1226W, by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Transport (Dr. Ladyman).

Pathways to Work

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals in  (a) West Suffolk constituency and  (b) the East of England are participating in the Pathways to Work programme.

Anne McGuire: Our successful Pathways to Work pilots have been acknowledged internationally as the best way of helping people on incapacity benefits back into work quickly. They have resulted in 21,400 Pathways job entries, including over 3,360 from voluntary customers.
	West Suffolk constituency is currently not covered by the programme, but our Welfare Reform Green Paper, "A new deal for welfare: Empowering people to work", sets out our plans to roll out the programme across the whole country by 2008.
	Pathways to Work pilots were rolled out in Essex, part of the East of England region, in April 2004. There have been 31,180 starts on the Pathways to Work programme in Essex.

Pension Age

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the cost savings from raising the state pension age to  (a) 66 years by 2030 and  (b) 67 years by 2040; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: If state pension age was raised from 65 to 66 in 2030 the estimated net savings for that year would be £5 billion. If state pension age increased from 65 to 67 in 2040 the estimated net savings for that year would be £11 billion. Figures are quoted in 2006-07 prices, rounded to the nearest £100 million, and are based on current policy.

Pension Age

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual savings from raising the women's pension age from 60 to 65 years are in each year from 2010 to 2030; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  United Kingdom, 2006-07 prices 
			   Net savings in pensioner spending (£ billion) 
			 2010 0.4 
			 2011 1.4 
			 2012 2.2 
			 2013 3.2 
			 2014 4.1 
			 2015 5.1 
			 2016 6.0 
			 2017 7.0 
			 2018 8.0 
			 2019 9.0 
			 2020 9.6 
			 2021 9.9 
			 2022 10.3 
			 2023 10.6 
			 2024 10,9 
			 2025 11.2 
			 2026 11.4 
			 2027 11.5 
			 2028 11.7 
			 2029 11.8 
			 2030 12.0 
			  Notes:  1. All figures are given in 2006-07 prices and are based on current policy.  2. Figures are given in £billion, rounded to one decimal place.  3. The figures assume that an increase in the state retirement pension age for women would correspondingly increase the qualifying age for benefits such as pension credit, housing benefits and winter fuel payments. However, there would also be extra costs arising from working age benefits such as incapacity benefit, income support, jobseeker's allowance, bereavement benefits, and housing benefits. The net effect of these changes is shown in the table.  4. The figures cover expenditure on the bigger spending benefits only. Administrative costs, and any revenue effects, have not been considered.   Source:  The figures are based on DWP long-term projections of United Kingdom benefit spend consistent with the budget report 2006.

Pension Credit

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners have received telephone calls since September 2003 from  (a) the Pension Service and  (b) another agency for which his Department is responsible inviting them to explore the possibility that they may be eligible for pension credit, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

James Purnell: The information is not available in the format requested.
	During September 2003 and March 2006, a total of 738,000 calls were made by the Pension Service inviting customers to apply for pension credit.
	 Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.

Pension Credit

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what elements of  (a) service charges and  (b) management fees payable by pensioners living in leasehold flats are excluded for pension credit purposes.

James Purnell: The elements of service charges and management fees payable by pensioners living in leasehold flats that are excluded for pension credit purposes are charges for:
	day-to-day living expenses, including in particular the provision of meals, laundry, leisure items, cleaning of rooms and windows (except the cleaning of communal areas or the exterior windows where the claimant or any member of their household is unable to clean them) and transport;
	the acquisition of household equipment and the use of such items where the items will become the property of the claimant under an agreement with the landlord;
	the provision of an emergency alarm system;
	the provision of nursing care or personal care (including assistance at meal times or with personal appearance or hygiene);
	general counselling or any other support services;
	any services not specified which are not connected with the provision of adequate accommodation; and
	charges that are eligible to be met from the claimant's housing benefit.

Pension Credit

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents in each electoral ward in Bassetlaw receive pension credit.

James Purnell: The most recent period for which figures are available are in the following table.
	
		
			  Pensions credit: Individual beneficiaries for wards in Bassetlaw, November 2005 
			  Ward name  Individual beneficiaries( 1) 
			 Beckingham 130 
			 Blyth 120 
			 Carlton 380 
			 Clayworth 60 
			 Everton 90 
			 Harworth 525 
			 Langold 185 
			 Misterton 140 
			 Rampton 75 
			 Ranskill 125 
			 Sturton 85 
			 Sutton(2) 105 
			 Welbeck(3) 165 
			 Worksop East 575 
			 Worksop North 340 
			 Workshop North East 360 
			 Workshop North West 370 
			 Worksop South 220 
			 Worksop South East 730 
			 Birklands 420 
			 Meden 360 
			 Bassetlaw total 5,440 
			 (1 )The number of individual beneficiaries includes both claimants and their partners. (2) Welbeck Ward falls into both Bassetlaw and Mansfield parliamentary constituencies. (3) Ward totals do not sum to Bassetlaw parliamentary constituency total due to two wards crossing parliamentary constituency boundaries.  Notes: 1. Number of individual beneficiaries are rounded to a multiple of five. 2. Sutton Ward falls into both Bassetlaw and Newark parliamentary constituencies  3. Pension credit (PC) replaced minimum income guarantee (MIG) on 6 October 2003. Existing MIG recipients were automatically converted onto pension credit on that date (assuming they still met the eligibility criteria).  Source: Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data.

Pension Credit

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been employed in all forms of the administration of pension credit, savings credit and guarantee credit in each year since 2001-02; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The information is not available.
	Staff employed in the Pension Service administer a range of entitlements, including state pension, over 80 pensions, graduated retirement pension, state earnings- related pension, state second pension, pension credit and winter fuel payments.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of females of pension age in the UK who will be in receipt of a full basic state pension in 2006-07; how many were so entitled in  (a) 2004-05 and  (b) 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of females of state pension age with a full basic state pension (million) 
			 2004-05 3.2 
			 2005-06 3.2 
			 2006 -07 3.2 
			  Notes:  1. The figures include category B pension paid to widows based on husbands' contributions.  2. Figures are for Great Britain. 3. The full basic state pension as at April 2004 was £79.60 per week. The full basic state pension as at April 2005 was £82.05 per week and the full basic state pension as at April 2006 is £84.25 per week.  4. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100,000.  Sources:  1. Figures for 2004-05 are derived from March 2005 five per cent. sample.  2. Figurers for March 2005-06 and 2006-07 are derived from the DWP micro- simulation model.

Pensions

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of raising the addition to the basic state pension for those aged 80 years or over from 25p to  (a) £2.50 per week,  (b) £5 per week and  (c) £10 per week, assuming no change in the thresholds for means-tested benefits.

James Purnell: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			  Weekly rate of age addition  Gross annual cost  (£ million)  Net annual cost  (£ million) 
			 £2.50 310 220 
			 £5.00 660 460 
			 £10.00 1,360 940 
			  Note:  The costs:  (a) are in 2006-07 price terms for a 2007-08 policy change and are rounded to the nearest £10 million;  (b) have been estimated using the Government Actuary's Department Retirement Pension Model with income related benefit and tax offsets for net costs calculated using the DWP policy simulation model and;  (c) are based on the assumption that the increased amounts are flat rate and payable in full to all eligible pensioners in GB and overseas.

Perfluorooctane Sulphonate

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance the Health and Safety Executive has issued on the use of perfluorooctane sulphonate.

Anne McGuire: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in conjunction with the Surface Engineering Association has issued guidance on the use of perfluorooctane sulphonate in chromic acid plating tanks to prevent the formation of mist containing chromium (VI). This is important for occupational health, because chromium (VI) is an established human carcinogen. Presently no practical alternative mist suppressants are available. The guidance is available on HSE's website.

Post Office Card Account

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) pensioners and  (b) other benefits recipients in the Rhondda draw their benefits through a post office card account.

James Plaskitt: Information showing the number of DWP benefit and pension payment accounts paid by Direct Payment into a post office card account for each parliamentary constituency has been placed in the Library

Post Office Closures

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the effect on benefit recipients of changes to the obligation on Post Office Ltd. to prevent avoidable post office closures.

James Plaskitt: The policy of preventing avoidable closures of post offices in rural areas has now been extended until autumn 2006.
	I have regular discussions with Trade and Industry Ministers about access to cash and the post office network.
	The Government will make announcements on the future of the post office network in due course.

Poverty

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many black and minority ethnic children are living in poverty in the UK.

Anne McGuire: Information on the UK is not held. The available information for Great Britain is in the table.
	
		
			  Number of children in Great Britain living in households below 60 per cent. median income 
			  Million 
			  Ethnic group  Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			 White 1.9 2.7 
			 Asian or Asian British 0.3 0.4 
			 Black or Black British 0.1 0.2 
			 Other ethnic group 0.1 0.1 
			 Total 2.4 3.4 
			  Source:  Family Resources Survey 2004-05

Public Service Agreements

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many public service agreement targets  (a) exclusive to his Department and  (b) held jointly between his and other Departments (i) have been met, (ii) are on course, (iii) are subject to slippage and (iv) have not yet been assessed.

Anne McGuire: The information requested can be found in Figure 1 (Summary of performance towards all PSA targets) on pages 27 to 30 of the Departmental report published on 11 May 2006 which is available in the Library.

Remploy

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what level of Government funding was provided to Remploy in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what level of funding will be provided to Remploy in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 16 May 2006
	Remploy is funded through both commercial activity and a grant in aid from the Department for Work and Pensions, which is to help meet the additional costs associated with supporting large numbers of disabled people. The level of Government funding therefore is linked to the commercial performance of Remploy.
	Remploy's actual grant in aid in 2003-04 was £115 million, in 2004-05 it was £116 million and in 2005-06 it was £119 million. In each of these years the final grant in aid exceeded the original allocation reflecting the worsening trading conditions that Remploy have and are likely to continue to experience. For this year (2006-07) and next year (2007-08) the allocated grant in aid for Remploy is £111 million per year pending the outcome of the independent strategic review.

Single Parents

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many single parents in Tamworth constituency were in receipt of income support in each year between 2001 and 2005; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following table:
	
		
			  Lone parents in receipt of income support in the Tamworth parliamentary constituency: each November 2001 to 2005 
			   Number of lone parents 
			 2001 1,210 
			 2002 1,120 
			 2003 1,050 
			 2004 1,010 
			 2005 970 
			  Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Single parents are defined as single claimants with dependants aged under 60 and not receiving Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance.  Source:  Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS)

Social Fund

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to change the funding available to the social fund funeral scheme.

James Plaskitt: The regulated social fund of which the funeral payment scheme is a part is not cash limited or subject to budgetary constraints.
	Funeral payments from the social fund cover the cost of certain necessary charges in full; these include fees levied by burial authorities and crematoria. An additional sum of up to £700 is allowed for other funeral expenses, which give the person arranging the funeral the freedom to select items or services they consider appropriate. Although there are no plans to make changes to the funeral payment scheme at this time the level of help is kept under review.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcohol Misuse

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding Bournemouth police was allocated from the Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign.

Liam Byrne: Bournemouth Division of Dorset police was allocated £10,000 by the Police Standards Unit for the third national Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign (AMEC 3), which ran from 14 November 2005 until the end of that year. For the fourth Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign (AMEC 4), which is running from 8 May until 8 June 2006, the Division has been allocated a further £10,000.

Anore Mohammed

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects Anore Mohammed of Banbury, date of birth 5 May 1982, will be notified of his application for leave to remain.

Tony McNulty: I wrote to the hon. Member on 8 May 2006.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have breached their antisocial behaviour orders in Suffolk since 1 January 2004.

Liam Byrne: Antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) breach data are currently available from 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2003 for ASBOs issued since 1 June 2000. During this period nine persons are recorded as having breached their ASBO on one or more occasions in Suffolk.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued for  (a) antisocial behaviour in or around shopping areas and  (b) behaviour involving the abuse of shop workers in each year since their inception, broken down by local authority area.

Liam Byrne: Data collated centrally for statistical purposes does not identify the circumstances that led to the issuing of an antisocial behaviour order.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 10 to 17-year-olds have been issued with antisocial behaviour orders, broken down by ethnic group.

Liam Byrne: The number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued at all courts, to persons aged 10 to 17, as notified to the Home Office from 1 June 2000 to 30 September 2005 (latest available) is 3,135. Prior to 1 June 2000 ASBO data were collected on aggregate numbers only by police force area.
	Ethnicity data are not collected centrally as part of the statistical collection of ASBOs issued.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders were issued in  (a) Lancashire,  (b) Blackpool and  (c) Lancaster and Wyre in each year since 2002.

Liam Byrne: Data on antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) are available at criminal justice system area and local government authority (LGA) area level only. A table giving annual data on the number of ASBOs issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office, up to 30 September 2005 (latest available), broken down by the LGA area in which restrictions are imposed is available on the Crime Reduction website at www.crimereduction.gov.uk

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals in Cambridgeshire have breached their antisocial behaviour orders in the period since 1 January 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) breach data are currently available from 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2003 for ASBOs issued since 1 June 2000. During this period eight persons are recorded as having breached their ASBO on one or more occasions in Cambridgeshire.

Application Processing Times

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average application processing time in the  (a) immigration and nationality directorate,  (b) national asylum support service,  (c) identity and passport service and  (d) UK visas was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: The information is as follows:
	 (a) Immigration and nationality directorate (IND) does not hold general statistics on average process times for applications. For some workstreams, target service standards and performance against them are published on the IND website.
	 (b) The national asylum support service does not hold statistics on average process times for applications.
	 (c) For the most recent week (ending 14 May 2006) the average processing time for the identity and passport service was as follows:
	4.2 working days for straightforward properly completed passport applications.
	5.7 working days for all passport applications, including applications that were not properly completed by the applicant and required further identity and passport service contact.
	 (d) UK visas does not hold statistics on overall average processing time for applications.

Arrests

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests were made in the six months  (a) prior to and  (b) since November 2005 in (i) Bournemouth and (ii) Dorset.

Liam Byrne: The main arrests collection covers persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) by police force area only. Information is collected on a quarterly basis and 2005-06 data for Dorset police force area will be available in the autumn 2006.
	Information for 2004-05 (latest available) can be found in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin, "Arrests for Recorded Crime (notifiable offences) and the Operation of Certain Police Powers under PACE, England and Wales", which is available on the Research and Development Statistics website:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pubsstatistical
	Copies are also available in the Library.

Arrests

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests were made in Shrewsbury and Atcham in  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2005.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is not available centrally.

Asylum Seekers

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied asylum seeking children are being looked after by local authorities, broken down by  (a) ethnic group and  (b) local authority.

Tony McNulty: Local authorities have reported that a total of 5,521 unaccompanied asylum seeking children were receiving support under the provisions of the Children Act as at the end of February 2006. The overall number may be slightly higher as a few local authorities have still to submit reports. It is not possible to provide a breakdown by ethnic group as authorities are not asked to provide this information. A breakdown by individual authority is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Local authorities  Number of UASC 
			 Barking and Dagenham 97 
			 Barnet 41 
			 Barnsley 11 
			 Bedfordshire 19 
			 Bexley 22 
			 Birmingham 141 
			 Blackpool 1 
			 Bolton 12 
			 Bournemouth 6 
			 Bracknell Forest 1 
			 Bradford 19 
			 Brent 48 
			 Brighton and Hove 21 
			 Bristol City 16 
			 Bromley 14 
			 Buckinghamshire 6 
			 Calderdale 2 
			 Cambridgeshire 83 
			 Camden 73 
			 Cardiff 35 
			 Cheshire 8 
			 City of Edinburgh 12 
			 City of Newcastle 43 
			 Corporation of London 26 
			 Coventry 12 
			 Croydon 346 
			 Derbyshire 3 
			 Denbighshire county 1 
			 Derby 14 
			 Devon 1 
			 Doncaster 3 
			 Dorset 4 
			 Dudley 1 
			 Durham 2 
			 Ealing 45 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 6 
			 East Sussex 4 
			 Enfield 37 
			 Essex 71 
			 Gateshead 1 
			 Glasgow city council 52 
			 Gloucestershire 14 
			 Greenwich 84 
			 Hackney 74 
			 Halton 1 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 89 
			 Haringey 185 
			 Harrow 40 
			 Havering 18 
			 Hertfordshire 38 
			 Hillingdon 436 
			 Hounslow 63 
			 North Somerset 1 
			 Islington 108 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 63 
			 Kent 350 
			 Kingston upon Hull 13 
			 Kingston upon Thames 40 
			 Kirklees 12 
			 Lambeth 152 
			 Leeds 71 
			 Leicester 21 
			 Leicestershire 34 
			 Lewisham 84 
			 Lincolnshire 9 
			 Liverpool 246 
			 Luton 25 
			 Manchester 204 
			 Merton 13 
			 Milton Keynes 34 
			 Neath Port Talbot 4 
			 Newham 103 
			 Newport city council 23 
			 Norfolk 30 
			 North East Lincolnshire 26 
			 North Lanarkshire 1 
			 North Lincolnshire 1 
			 Northamptonshire 46 
			 Nottingham 40 
			 Oxfordshire 102 
			 Pembrokeshire 2 
			 Plymouth 10 
			 Poole 8 
			 Portsmouth 11 
			 Reading 21 
			 Redbridge 33 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 2 
			 Rhondda Cynon Taf 1 
			 Richmond upon Thames 26 
			 Rochdale 11 
			 Rotherham 8 
			 Oldham 3 
			 Salford 7 
			 Sandwell 10 
			 Sheffield 89 
			 Shropshire 4 
			 Slough 27 
			 Solihull 137 
			 Southampton 11 
			 Southend on Sea 20 
			 Southwark 122 
			 St. Helens 2 
			 Staffordshire 28 
			 Stockton on Tees 3 
			 Stoke on Trent 11 
			 Suffolk 14 
			 Sunderland 2 
			 Surrey 56 
			 Sutton 30 
			 Swansea city and county 1 
			 Swindon 21 
			 Tameside 1 
			 Telford and Wrekin 3 
			 Thurrock 26 
			 Tower Hamlets 39 
			 Trafford 2 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 1 
			 Wakefield 18 
			 Waltham Forest 65 
			 Wandsworth 38 
			 Warwickshire 89 
			 West Berkshire 36 
			 West Sussex 92 
			 Westminster 57 
			 Wigan 2 
			 Wiltshire 14 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 6 
			 Wirral 1 
			 Wolverhampton 6 
			 Worcestershire 35 
			 York 1

Asylum Seekers

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied children have sought asylum in the UK since 2001, broken down by ethnic group; and how many such applicants are  (a) successful and  (b) refused.

Tony McNulty: The number of applications from unaccompanied children who seek asylum in the UK is published on a quarterly and annual basis, broken down by nationality. The number of initial decisions on unaccompanied minors who seek asylum in the UK is published on an annual basis, broken down by nationality and decision outcome. Figures for 2001 are not available. Figures broken down by ethnic group are also unavailable. The next quarterly publication covering the first quarter of 2006 will be published on 23 May 2006. The next annual publication covering 2005 will be published on 22 August. Both publications will be available on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Asylum Seekers

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers there are in Bexley borough.

Tony McNulty: Statistics are available on the number of asylum seekers who are in receipt of support from the national asylum support service (NASS) and published on a quarterly and annual basis, broken down by local authority.
	The most recent publication covering the fourth quarter of 2005 and further historical publications are available on the Home Office research development and statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Asylum Seekers

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is the policy of his Department to share asylum application files of failed asylum seekers with the authorities in their country of origin.

Tony McNulty: The Asylum Policy Instruction (API) on the "Disclosure and Confidentiality of Information in Asylum Cases", which is published on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's website, makes it very clear that information provided by an asylum claimant will be treated in confidence. Details about the asylum claim will not be disclosed to the authorities in the country of origin without the explicit consent of the claimant.
	All claimants are informed, however, that in the event their claim is unsuccessful it might be necessary for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to contact the authorities in the country of origin to obtain an emergency travel document for their journey home. Disclosure in these circumstances is limited to that which is necessary for re-documentation purposes, such as basic information about the claimant's identity, as well as fingerprints, photographs.

Asylum Seekers

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department assesses whether a country is safe enough to repatriate failed asylum seekers; and how often such assessments take place.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office continuously monitors the situation in all asylum intake countries taking into account information from a wide range of recognised and respected governmental and non-governmental organisation sources as well as current news reports. Asylum decision-makers take into account the situation in the country of origin as it affects each asylum applicant when making a decision on an asylum claim. The Home Office enforce the return of an individual only where it is satisfied that the person concerned will not be at risk and has been unsuccessful in any appeals against the decision in their particular case.

Asylum Seekers

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct his officials to meet officials of Peterborough city council to discuss future funding of the invest to save project in respect of asylum seekers and economic migrants; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Peterborough Asylum and Migration project is funded by the Treasury Invest to Save Budget and is strictly time-limited to a three year allocation. As sponsor department, officials in the Home Office have been in frequent contact with officials in Peterborough city council, and will be discussing with them the sustainability and exit strategy for the project.

British Transport Police

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the British Transport Police have transferred to the Metropolitan police force; and how many remain to be transferred.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Burglary

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mandatory three year prison sentences for burglary were handed down in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested is published in Table 2.7 of "Sentencing Statistics, England and Wales, 2004" (page 28). This publication can be found in the Library and also on the Home Office website, as follows:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb1505.pdf

Capita Group

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many tenders  (a) Capita plc and  (b) its subsidiaries has submitted to his Department in each of the last three years; and how many tenders were successful.

Liam Byrne: The information is not held centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Care Homes

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people applying for positions within residential care and nursing homes in  (a) Tamworth constituency,  (b) the Staffordshire police area and  (c) England are awaiting clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information sought by the hon. Member for Tamworth is not available. The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is unable to provide information on Disclosure applications based on specific employment sectors and geographical areas.
	The CRB aims to complete Disclosure applications across all sectors within the shortest time possible. Its published service standards are to issue 93 per cent. of Standard Disclosures within two weeks and 90 per cent. of Enhanced Disclosures within four weeks for all applications.

CCTV

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further steps he is  (a) taking and  (b) plans to take to promote the effectiveness of closed circuit television footage in combating crime and terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: CCTV can be an important tool in the fight against crime and disorder. However, evidence shows that its potential has not been fully realised and that a national strategy is needed. The Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers are undertaking a joint review of CCTV to determine how it may be used more effectively in reducing and detecting crime and terrorism.
	The review's findings will be known in the autumn, and will include recommendations on the infrastructure and future use of CCTV.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of members of the Principal Civil Service pension scheme in his Department joined the scheme before the ageof  (a) 20,  (b) 25,  (c) 30,  (d) 35,  (e) 40,  (f) 45 and  (g) over 45-years-old.

Liam Byrne: The information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's employer contribution rates to the principal civil service pension scheme are; what assumed rate of return underlies those contribution rates; and what the contribution rate would be if the assumed rate of return was in line with current redemption yield on index-linked gilts.

Liam Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Murphy), on29 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1030W.

Community Service

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours a week must be worked by offenders sentenced to undertake a community service order.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The National Standards for the probation service require that offenders sentenced to unpaid work undertake a minimum average of six hours work per week

Conflict Management Vehicles

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is provided for those employed in the use of police conflict management vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: All police officers wishing to become authorised firearms officers go through a rigorous assessment and training programme following the National Police Firearms Training Curriculum produced by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Conflict Management Vehicles

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what national guidelines are issued to police forces in England and Wales on the deployment of conflict management vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Guidance on the deployment of armed response vehicles in England and Wales is governed by Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) national guidelines. These guidelines can be found on the ACPO website (www.acpo.police.uk).

Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will reply to the letter of 6 February from the hon. Member for Aylesbury to the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality about the case of Mr. P. C. (reference C1142200; CTS reference M24806/5) and the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville hospital.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 11 May 2006
	I replied to the hon. Member for Aylesbury on 11 May 2006.

Crime (Sentences) Act 1997

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of section  (a) 28,  (b) 29,  (c) 30,  (d) 31 and  (e) 32 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997; and what recent representations he has received about the operation of these sections.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sections 28, 31 and 32 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 [as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 2003] relate to the Parole Board's powers to direct the release of life sentence prisoners and those offenders sentenced to Imprisonment for Public Protection and the licence conditions and recall to prison of such prisoners. Section 29 was repealed by the Criminal Justice Act 2003. Section 30 allows for release in exceptional circumstances on compassionate grounds.
	The main purpose of these sections is to ensure the protection of the public. There has been no indication or representations to the effect that the operation of these sections is inconsistent with this objective. The main criterion governing the Parole Board's consideration is the risk of serious harm that the lifer may be to others. The Parole Board is required to direct the release of any tariff-expired life sentence prisoner if it is satisfied that
	"it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the prisoner should be confined".
	The Board plays a key role in the wider public protection arena. I am satisfied that it continues to discharge its responsibilities diligently and in line with the relevant directions and rules to which it operates. I am also satisfied that the Board recognises the need to continually improve the standards of its risk assessments and decisions in this important area.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of claims made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority have been processed within  (a) six months,  (b) 12 months,  (c) 18 months and  (d) over 18 months in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested is set out in the following table. It relates to the time from the receipt of an application to the issue of a decision by CICA to the claimant.
	
		
			  Time from receipt of application to issue of decision at claims assessment stage 
			  Percentage 
			  Year decision issued  Less than 6 months  6-12 months  12-18 months  More than 18 months 
			 2005-06 22 44 21 13 
			 2004-05 30 40 18 12 
			 2003-04 34 38 16 12 
			 2002-03 33 40 16 11 
			 2001-02 32 43 16 9

Departmental Expenditure

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on  (a) advertising,  (b) refreshments,  (c) travel for Ministers and  (d) stationery by the Home Office in each year since 1997.

John Reid: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The information on Home Office expenditure on advertising since 1997 is given in the following table.
	 (b) The information on Home Office expenditure on refreshments since 1997 is given in the following table.
	 (c) The information requested for travel for Ministers is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
	In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of overseas journeys undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information for the financial years 1995-96 to 2004-05. Information for 2005-06 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.
	 (d) The information on Home Office expenditure on stationery is given in the following table.
	 (a)
	
		
			  Financial year  Advertising expenditure (£ million) 
			 1997-98 1.4 
			 1998-99 1.8 
			 1999-2000 5.65 
			 2000-01 28.36 
			 2001-02 14.4 
			 2002-03 9.9 
			 2003-04 12.487 
			 2004-05 10.203 
		
	
	 (b)
	
		
			  Financial year  Refreshments expenditure (£) 
			 1997-98 409,973 
			 1998-99 180,130 
			 1999-2000 623,687 
			 2000-01 792,313 
			 2001-02 827,683 
			 2002-03 1,103,558 
			 2003-04 1,816,708 
			 2004-05 1 ,484,967 
			  Note:  Refreshment expenditure includes hospitality and working lunches 
		
	
	 (d)
	
		
			   Stationery expenditure (£) 
			 1997 to 2001 Unavailable 
			 2002 4,419,777 
			 2003 4,974,960 
			 2004 4,931,657 
			 2005 3,483,976 
			  Note:  Expenditure excludes paper, computer consumables and office supplies

Departmental Expenditure

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total value is of  (a) catering and  (b) entertainment contracts let by his Department; and what value of such contracts has been let in each nation and region of the UK, including London.

John Reid: Catering services for staff in the Department's official staff restaurants are provided by the Department's facilities management contractors. The costs of meals and refreshments provided to staff are recovered through sales.
	The total costs of catering, other than catering services for staff, and entertainment (including refreshments at meetings, working lunches and hospitality) for the Home Office in 2004-05 was £1,484,967. Working lunches and refreshments are offered as a normal courtesy to visitors or made available to facilitate the efficient management of meetings.
	Expenditure figures for each nation and region of the UK are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Diabetic Drivers

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide high-energy glucose tablets to police officers to enable them to assist diabetic drivers; when he will make such provision; what estimate he has made of the cost; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 18 May 2006
	Provision of such items is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. The responsibility for managing their diabetes and driving safely rests firmly with individual drivers. On issuing licences to insulin-treated drivers, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency advises them by letter that they should make sure they have an emergency supply of carbohydrate-like glucose tablets in their car.

Domestic Violence

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to improve the services offered to women seeking refuge from domestic violence in Kingston upon Hull, North.

Liam Byrne: The provision for women seeking refuge for Kingston upon Hull North is the provision for Hull.
	Hull had one of the first Women's Aid refuges (1972) and a purpose built hostel was opened in 1976 which is owned by North British Housing. The rent is paid by Hull city council via Supporting People monies which also provide the workers within the refuge.
	There are currently 18 bed spaces within a dedicated refuge facility and protected houses scheme. In addition to this there is the 'own home initiative' where the victim and family have a choice to remain in their family home with extra security measures put in place. The manager from Women's Aid is currently on a secondment to manage the new Hull Domestic Abuse Partnership (DAP) which is working to improve the services to victims of domestic violence.
	Hull DAP is a multi-agency team including police officers, a health practitioner, a social worker and a housing support worker. The team works within the same office to provide a one stop service for women in the city seeking refuge from domestic violence.

Domestic Violence

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of reported cases of domestic violence in  (a) England,  (b) each English region and  (c) the Tees Valley involved (i) women in a same-sex relationship, (ii) men in a same-sex relationship and (iii) children in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office does not collect this information.

Drug or Alcohol Rehabilitation Courses

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders took part in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation course in 2005-06 as an alternative to a custodial sentence.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The National Probation Service has available two substance misuse offending behaviour programmes: Addressing Substance Related Offending (ASRO) and the Offender Substance Abuse Programme (OSAP) and the Drink Impaired Drivers (DID) programme. The number of offenders who started on the ASRO, OSAP or DID programmes last year as a requirement of a community sentence or as a condition of a licence upon release from custody is shown in the following table.
	It is not possible to say how many of these offenders on community sentences were considered by the courts for a custodial sentence.
	
		
			  Programme type  Number of commencements( 1) 
			 Addressing Substance Related Offending (ASRO) 2,943 
			 Offender Substance Abuse Programme (OSAP) 928 
			 Drink Impaired Drivers (DID) 4,665 
			 (1 )January to December 2005.

Electoral Fraud

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of electoral fraud in each of the last 10 years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the number of people convicted for electoral fraud offences under the Representation of the People Act 1983, in England and Wales, 1995-2004 are shown in the table.
	Data for 2005 will be available in the autumn.
	
		
			  Number of defendants convicted of electoral fraud under the Representation of the People Act 1983,1995 - 2004, England and Wales 
			  Defendants 
			   Bribery, treating and undue influence  Personation  Total 
			 1995 3 11 14 
			 1996 ? ? ? 
			 1997 ? 5 5 
			 1998 ? 6 6 
			 1999 1 2 3 
			 2000 1 ? 1 
			 2001 ? 10 10 
			 2002 ? ? ? 
			 2003 1 1 2 
			 2004 2 1 3 
			  Note: Figures are for principal offences.  Source: Court Proceedings Database, Office for Criminal Justice Reform

Electronic Monitoring

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the  (a) electronic tagging and  (b) satellite tracking of offenders.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since 1999, over 250,000 people have been subject to electronic tagging, in the vast majority of cases without incident. It is an effective means of monitoring compliance with curfew requirements, and is an integral part of our strategy for managing offenders in the community.
	Pilots of satellite tracking have been operating in Greater Manchester, Hampshire and the West Midlands since September 2004, and are currently being evaluated by an external research team. Over 400 offenders, mostly prolific offenders, have been tracked in the pilots so far.

Firearms

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what types of firearms are permitted for use by those who work in the agricultural industry; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 15 May 2006
	There are no specified types of firearm for use by people in the agricultural industry. In applying to the police for a firearms certificate, they will need to establish a good reason for possessing each individual firearm they wish to possess. In the case of somebody wishing to possess a shot gun, the police will not grant a certificate if they are satisfied that the applicant does not have a good reason for having one or would represent a danger to public safety or to the peace.

Fireworks

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many penalty notices have been issued to  (a) males and  (b) females in relation to the illegal use of fireworks in (i) Southend and (ii) Essex since the relevant legislation was introduced.

Liam Byrne: Data from the Penalty Notices for Disorder database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform showing the number of males and females issued with penalty notices for fireworks in Essex police force area 2004, as well as provisional data for 2005, are provided in the following table.
	It is not possible to identify the number of penalty notices issued in Southend as the data are broken down by police force area only and are not available at that level of detail.
	
		
			  Number of penalty notices for disorder issued for fireworks offences, by sex,  Essex police force area, 2004 and 2005( 1) 
			   Throwing fireworks  Breach of fireworks curfew  Possession of a Category 4 firework  Possession by an under-18-year-old of adult firework 
			  2004 
			 Males 2 1 1 2 
			 Females — — — — 
			 Total 2 1 1 2 
			  
			  2005( 1) 13 — — 1 
			 Males — — — — 
			 Total 13 — — 1 
			 (1 )Provisional data.   Source:  RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform.

Foreign Prisoners

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whose responsibility it is to ensure that the Prison Service communicates with the Immigration and Nationality Directorate about foreign nationals leaving prison.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is the responsibility of governors and directors, as set out in Prisoner Service Order 4630, to ensure that procedures are in place within their establishment to inform the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of all the foreign national prisoners held within their prison. I have placed a copy of the Order in the House of Commons Library.

Gurkhas

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis the UK has refused to grant indefinite leave to enter the UK to Gurkha personnel who had completed over four years of Crown service prior to 1 July 1997.

Tony McNulty: 1 July 1997 represents the date that the Brigade of Gurkhas moved their headquarters from Hong Kong to the UK. Indefinite leave (settlement) is normally granted on the basis of residence in the UK. Therefore, in order to remain consistent with other settlement categories in the Immigration Rules, it was considered appropriate to enable all those discharged on or after 1 July 1997 to be able to apply for settlement in the UK.
	However, in respect of applications from former Gurkhas discharged before 1 July 1997, and who would have developed close physical ties with the UK through being posted here, visa issuing posts abroad, in appropriate cases, can exercise discretion outside the Immigration Rules to grant indefinite leave to enter the UK.

Hand Guns

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to publish a list of those categories of people that have lawful access to hand guns.

Liam Byrne: The possession of all types of firearms is governed by the provisions of the Firearms Acts. Comprehensive guidance has already been published and is available on the Home Office website under Firearms Law.

Human Rights

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend UK law to enable the prosecution of individuals suspected of carrying out human rights abuses abroad; and what representations he has received on this issue.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Human Rights abuses committed abroad can be prosecuted in the UK under a variety of legislation. Breaches of the Geneva Conventions can be prosecuted under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957. Genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes can be prosecuted under the International Criminal Court Act 2001. Offences of torture can be prosecuted under the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Criminals can also be extradited to stand trial abroad. We have received no recent representations on the issue.

Immigration Service

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been processed at and removed via the UK Immigration Service Centre at St. Ives in Cambridgeshire in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Local Enforcement Office inSt. Ives was opened in June 2004, since then our records show that St. Ives Local Enforcement Unit removed:
	
		
			   Number of individuals removed 
			 2004 (July to December) 70 
			 2005 252 
			 2006 (January to April) 72

Imprisoned Parents

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many single parents with custody of dependent children have been imprisoned in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on the family responsibilities of prisoners is not collated centrally.
	Some information is available from a survey of prisoners undertaken in 2003. In this survey prisoners nearing discharge were asked about factors associated with resettlement, including family ties. The surveys were representative of prisoners nearing release in England and Wales.
	In the survey 18 per cent. of female prisoners said that they were single and living with dependent children (including step-children) aged 17 or under. The equivalent figure for male prisoners was 3.5 per cent.

International Arrest Warrants

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of10th May 2006 to Question 69808, on international arrest warrants, if he will set out the guidelines on publishing representations received from foreign governments which have been applied in this case; and to which other bodies such guidelines apply.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 16 May 2006
	Disclosure would normally be subject to consideration of whether the public interest in disclosure outweighed that of respecting the confidence of the foreign government, taking account of the prejudice which disclosure may cause to our relations with that government. This would apply equally to international organisations or international courts.

Internet (Prisons)

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms are in place to ensure appropriate use of internet facilities within the prison estate; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Prisoners do not have routine unfettered access to the internet. The only exceptionis in the area of education where prisoners gain National Vocational Qualifications to support their rehabilitation on release. Prisoner access to the internet is subject to detailed risk assessment by prison staff and is limited to pre-approved sites and prison staff closely monitor their use of these facilities. If abuse of internet access is identified prisoner access will be withdrawn.

Juvenile Crime

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were committed by juvenile offenders in  (a) Peterborough constituency and  (b) the Cambridgeshire area in each quarter in 2005; how many cautions were issued in relation to such cases; and how many children in the Peterborough city council area (i) were convicted,(ii) were in local authority care, (iii) received a reprimand, (iv) received a final warning and (v) were found guilty in each quarter.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is not possible to identify the number of crimes committed by juvenile offenders since details of the alleged offender are not identified within recorded crime data.
	The most recent available data on court proceedings and cautions are for 2004, data for 2005 will be available in autumn 2006.

Legislation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement onthe operation of section  (a) 1,  (b) 2 and (c) 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; what recent representations he has received about the operation of this Act; what amendments have been made to the Act; and whether he has plans to amend this Act.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government are satisfied that these provisions operate effectively to protect people from harassment and fear of violence. Since its introduction, the Protection from Harassment Act has been amended and strengthened:
	(with effect from 1 August 2001) by the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 to make clear that the legal sanctions that apply to a campaign of harassment by an individual against another also apply to a campaign of collective harassment by two or more people;
	(with effect from a date to be appointed) by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 to extend the use of restraining orders; and
	(with effect from 1 July 2005) by the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 to protect people from harassment by animal rights (or other) extremists.
	The more recent amendments were made in response to representations from victims of domestic violence and those working for or connected in some way to companies involved in the use of animals for scientific research. In addition to these specific representations, we receive regular requests for information about the Act from members of the public who are on the receiving end of behaviour that may constitute harassment or who have been accused of harassment. There are no current plans to amend the Act further.

Legislation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of section 36 of the Data Protection Act 1998; what recent representations he has received about the operation of this Act; what amendments have been made to the Act; and whether he has plans to amend this Act.

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
	The responsibility for monitoring the working of the Data Protection Act 1998 lies with the Information Commissioner, who has a statutory duty to promote good practice and to give advice to any person (including the Government) as to the operation of the Act. Section 36 of the Data Protection Act (DPA) exempts personal data from many of the Act's requirements where personal data is processed by an individual only for the purposes of that individual's personal, family or household affairs (including recreational purposes). However the Information Commissioner retains his powers of investigation and enforcement where someone appears to have exceeded the scope of the exemption.
	My Department receives correspondence from a range of individuals and organisations on the day-to-day operation of the Act.
	The DPA has been amended by numerous pieces of legislation. The last amendment was by the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
	We have no immediate plans for amending the legislation, but my Department, together with the Home Office, is currently considering whether custodial sentences would be an appropriate sanction for unauthorised disclosure of personal information.

Migrant Workers

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many migrant worker work permits were applied for by farmers in Bassetlaw in each of the last six years; and how many were granted.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 11 May 2006
	Approvals for individuals to work in the UK agricultural sector are granted under the Work Permit Scheme, the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS) and the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS). Please see following tables for the approval information on for each of the schemes.
	
		
			  Work Permit Scheme 
			   Approved  Refused 
			 2000 0 0 
			 2001 0 0 
			 2002 0 0 
			 2003 0 0 
			 2004 1 0 
			 2005 1 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Worker Registration Scheme( 1) 
			   Approved  Refused 
			 2004 23 0 
			 2005 58 0 
			 (1) The Worker Registration Scheme has operated only from 1 May 2004. 
		
	
	 Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme
	Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme applicants are recruited by Home Office contracted operators and information is collated only for those workers registered on the scheme. Some of those who apply may not be successful and therefore will not be registered on the scheme. Previous to 2004, records were not collected as to which area of the country the workers were deployed to and therefore information is available only for the Bassetlaw area as from that date.
	Total 2004: 24
	Total 2005: 35
	These data are not provided under National Statistics Protocols. It has been derived from local management information and is therefore provisional and subject to change.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for Ministers of State in his Department on foreign visits in each of the last three years.

Liam Byrne: The information requested could not be provided within disproportionate cost. Under the terms of the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, when travelling on official business Ministers are expected to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions Ministers of State in his Department stayed overnight in  (a) five star,  (b) four star and  (c) three star hotels on foreign visits in each of the last three years.

Liam Byrne: The information could not be provided without disproportionate cost. Under the terms of the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, when travelling on official business Ministers are expected to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.

National Offender Management Information System

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information will be held on the National Offender Management Information System; and what steps will be taken to ensure confidentiality of that data.

Gerry Sutcliffe: C-NOMIS will contain data on offender demographics (including nationality, ethnicity, education, employment, disability, addresses, and other relevant personal data), their court proceedings, offences, sentences, licences, risks, interventions on which they are placed, their attendances, performance and progress on their sentences including enforcement and breach of community sentences and licences. Data will also be held on prisoner movements, incidents, adjudications, cell locations, activities and finances (including prisoner earnings). C-NOMIS will also contain data on visitors to prisoners to enable the management of visits and visiting orders.
	C-NOMIS is classified as a "restricted" system under the Government Protective Marking Scheme, and the data held within it will not exceed this classification. Access is on a "need to know" basis, while also facilitating the effective sharing of information in support of end-to-end offender management.

National Offender Management Service

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the total Prison Service budget was allocated to the administrationof the National Offender Management Service in (a) 2004-05 and  (b) 2005-06.

Gerry Sutcliffe: None. The Prison Services' budget is allocated from the overall budget for the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), and not the other way round.
	In 2005-06 the proportion of the NOMS resource budget allocated to the Prison Service is 44 per cent. This excludes certain former Prison Service HQ functions, notably Estates, Property, IT, and Prisoner Escort and Custody Service, which have transferred to NOMS HQ from the beginning of 2005-06.

National Offender Management Service

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the ratio is of National Offender Management staff to prisoners in England and Wales in each year since its inception.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on the ratio of all staff within the public sector Prison Service against public sector prisoners since 2004 is contained in the table. The information relates to average headcount over the year against average number of prisoners. The ratio includes all staff employed by the public sector Prison Service, including Headquarters and other non-operational staff.
	Equivalent information for the contracted prison estate, is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   2004  2005 
			 Average staff in post 48,385 48,429 
			 Average population 67,772 68,713 
			 All public sector staff to prisoner ratio 1:1.40 1:1.42

National Offender Management Service

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) full-time,  (b) full-time equivalent and  (c) part-time staff are employed by the National Offender Management Service; and how many are employed at salaries in band  (a) £10,000 to £20,000,  (b) £20,001 to £30,000,  (c) £30,001 to £40,000,  (d) £40,001 to £50,000,  (e) £50,001 to £60,000,  (f) £60,001 to £70,000,  (g) £70,001 to £80,000 and  (h) £90,000 and above.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The National Offender Management Service consists of NOMS HQ, HM Prison Service and the National Probation Service. Each of these three organisations compiles their own data and statistics. In order to answer this question, the response is broken down into three component parts representing the three organisations in the following table.
	
		
			  NOMS HQ held on, or in process of migration to, ADELPHI 
			  Salary band  Full-time  Part-time  Total  Full-time equivalent 
			 Salary unavailable(1) 66 7 73 70.49 
			 £5,001-£9,999 0 0 0 0 
			 £10,000-£20,000 333 19 352 343 
			 £20,000-£30,000 373 30 403 394 
			 £30,000-£40,000 260 20 280 273 
			 £40,000-£50,000 78 2 80 79 
			 £50,000-£60,000 251 23 274 270 
			 £60,000-£70,000 71 12 83 80 
			 £70,000-£80,000 9 0 9 9 
			 £80,000-£90,000 4 0 4 4 
			 £90,000 + 8 0 8 8 
			 Total 1,309 104 1,413 1,380 
			 (1) Where possible payroll values have been used, and where this has proved impossible target rates for the grades at 1 July 2005 have been assigned. However in some case it has not been possible to provide salary banded information without excessive cost. Payroll salary is the basic salary excluding allowances.

Official Cars

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) of 16 February 2006,  Official Report, column 2412W, on official cars, if he will name the three former Ministers to whom he referred.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 12 May 2006
	No. From time to time former Ministers are provided with cars as part of protection measures necessary as a result of the Government positions that they previously held. Where these measures are taken on security grounds, it would not be appropriate to disclose the identity of the former Ministers.

Operation Pentameter

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many separate investigations have been carried out in Cumbria under Operation Pentameter; and how many individuals of Eastern European origin have been found during the operation.

Vernon Coaker: Cumbria police have visited three premises as part of the operation. So far no individuals of Eastern European origin have been found.

Passports

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of adults in Bexley borough who do not have a passport.

Joan Ryan: The Identity and Passport Service collects address information at the time of applying for a passport. The adult passport has a 10-year validity period during which time the holder may move residence a number of times. As such, we cannot reliably identify the number of passport holders within any given area.

Penal Policy

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the costs to public funds of re-offending by criminals after release from prison in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: This information is not routinely collected.
	Information on the estimated costs of offences against individuals and households for 2003-04 and 2000 are published in Home Office Online Report 30/05, "The Economic and Social Costs of Crime Against Individuals and Households 2003/04". A wider range of offences is considered in Home Office Research Study 217, "The Economic and Social Costs of Crime" (for 2000). Estimates have not been calculated for other years.
	Information is routinely published on prisoners reconvicted within two years of discharge from prison and the principal offence on first reconviction. This is published in Table 11.2 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 17/05, "Offender Management and Caseload Statistics 2004". The latest year for which estimates have been published relates to prisoners discharged in 2001.

Police

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in Bexley in  (a) 1997,  (b) 2001 and  (c) 2005.

Liam Byrne: Figures have only been collected by Basic Command Unit since March 2002. The London borough of Bexley Operational Command Unit had 316 police officers in March 2002 and 383 in March 2005. This is an increase of 21 per cent. (67 officers) over the period.

Police

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many copies of the police complaints authority annual report 2003-04 were distributed by his Department; if he will list those who were sent copies; at what cost; how many copies were printed; at what cost; who was awarded the contract to undertake the printing; how  (a) hon. Members,  (b) Members of the House of Lords and  (c) members of the public may obtain a copy; at what cost; when he expects the 2004-05 edition of the independent police complaints commission annual report to be published; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: A total of 640 copies of the police complaints authority's (PCA) annual report 2003-04 were distributed to police authorities and police forces, former PCA members and current IPCC commissioners, statutory bodies such as Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Centrex and other interested organisations and individuals including Liberty, INQUEST and academics in the field of police oversight.
	The cost of printing and publication were borne by the stationery office (TSO) which aims to recover it from sales revenue. The contract was awarded by TSO after competitive tendering. The approximate cost for distribution was £4,214.
	The cost per copy is £14.75.
	Hon. Members may obtain copies from the vote offices in the House of Commons.
	Members of the House of Lords may obtain copies from the printed paper office in the House of Lords.
	Members of the public may obtain copies from TSO's bookshops in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff, Manchester and Birmingham and from TSO agents in the principal cities. Copies can also be ordered by telephone or mail order from TSO or by internet from TSO's online bookshop (www.tso.co.uk/bookshop). Orders will also be processed by booksellers and via Amazon.
	The PCA annual report 2003-04 is also available on the IPCC website at http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/pca_a_r03-04.pdf.
	The IPCC annual report 2004-05 was published on23 November 2005. Both the report and a summary leaflet are available on the IPCC's website at: http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/index/resources/evidence_ reports/corp_reports-plans.htm.

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used in deciding to deploy  (a) armed response units and  (b) specialist firearms officers; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 16 May 2006
	The use of firearms by police officers is governed by Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) guidelines. These guidelines can be found on the ACPO website (www.acpo.police.uk).

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times  (a) armed response units and  (b) specialist firearms officers have been deployed in Bedfordshire in each year since 1997, broken down by police division; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 17 May 2006
	This information is not collected centrally.

Police

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what average length of time was taken by the police professional standards department to conduct an internal inquiry into the conduct of a police officer in the last period for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: Statistical information on the average length of time taken by police professional standards departments to conduct internal inquiries is not held centrally.

Police

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what purposes police helicopters are used; when police in Essex have purchased a helicopter in the last five years; at what cost in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The principle use of police helicopters is to support police officers on the ground. The main reasons for deployment are searching for missing persons, locating people absconding from crime scenes, vehicle crime, supporting firearms and terrorist operations, evidential photographing and videoing, and crowd control.
	Essex police purchased a helicopter in June 2003 at a cost of £3.1 million. The Home Office provided funding of £612,000 grant and £588,000 supplementary credit approval to support the purchase.

Police

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces are below strength; by how many persons; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Information on vacancy levels in police forces is not collected. It is for chief officers of police in consultation with their police authorities to determine the work force mix that is employed to deliver policing.

Police

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions firearms were issued to policemen in each of the police authorities in England and Wales in each of the last seven years for which information is available; and on how many occasions they were used.

Liam Byrne: The number of operations in which firearms were issued since 1996-97 for each force in England and Wales is shown in the table. The number of incidents when the police opened fire using conventional firearms is also shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of incidents where conventional firearms were used 
			   Incidents 
			 1996-97 5 
			 1997-98 3 
			 1998-99 5 
			 1999-2000 7 
			 2000-01 9 
			 2001-02 11 
			 2002-03 10 
			 2003-04 4 
			 2004-05 5 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of operations in which firearms were authorised 
			   1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Total 12,379 11,842 10,928 10,915 11,109 13,991 14,827 16,657 15,981 
			 Avon and Somerset 312 139 88 90 65 195 262 311 333 
			 Bedfordshire 345 323 260 190 294 237 301 442 475 
			 Cambridgeshire 54 96 43 75 71 114 57 104 241 
			 Cheshire 288 216 299 386 545 419 451 397 358 
			 Cleveland 1,026 103 35 76 28 37 170 453 530 
			 City of London 308 307 147 125 3 40 131 364 404 
			 Cumbria 72 68 52 24 30 71 77 72 152 
			 Derbyshire 109 147 176 178 167 275 401 369 287 
			 Devon and Cornwall 160 133 61 65 151 101 96 112 71 
			 Dorset 36 54 69 79 174 184 193 231 223 
			 Durham 131 103 114 114 40 89 83 156 144 
			 Essex 331 505 590 497 435 323 312 275 296 
			 Gloucestershire 41 51 52 52 48 165 185 127 176 
			 Greater Manchester 214 165 160 224 357 580 518 507 461 
			 Hampshire 245 217 129 103 114 198 162 208 237 
			 Hertfordshire 96 82 75 73 86 112 172 195 185 
			 Humberside 291 472 317 193 158 297 187 183 206 
			 Kent 236 423 92 85 83 115 137 207 163 
			 Lancashire 333 338 616 267 242 232 238 318 241 
			 Leicestershire 155 89 109 222 217 300 268 295 260 
			 Lincolnshire 58 52 57 155 336 477 392 386 294 
			 Merseyside 671 675 484 489 825 1020 628 751 733 
			 Metropolitan 2,439 2,578 2,742 2,862 1,862 2,447 3,199 3,563 2,964 
			 Norfolk 166 128 185 239 226 175 200 178 195 
			 Northamptonshire 64 77 51 57 58 43 138 148 158 
			 Northumbria 1,360 823 683 465 708 1,440 1,275 1,140 977 
			 North Yorkshire 65 102 69 612 72 92 100 147 185 
			 Nottinghamshire 84 306 266 255 233 384 452 459 408 
			 South Yorkshire 155 302 135 237 127 258 463 484 546 
			 Staffordshire 257 240 209 174 203 232 281 255 216 
			 Suffolk 180 193 174 165 176 163 270 251 153 
			 Surrey 133 87 60 143 221 245 247 203 151 
			 Sussex 235 330 123 185 353 248 204 280 187 
			 Thames Valley 215 227 158 110 153 179 167 195 289 
			 Warwickshire 97 152 291 194 233 130 149 164 124 
			 West Mercia 106 132 130 110 36 117 91 197 162 
			 West Midlands 270 227 305 362 485 822 902 1,377 1264 
			 West Yorkshire 617 630 662 813 822 757 604 575 853 
			 Wiltshire 26 26 24 19 66 45 58 63 88 
			 Dyfed Powys 17 27 38 37 18 28 29 28 51 
			 Gwent 89 86 64 39 30 20 37 40 81 
			 North Wales 233 310 386 371 195 302 259 197 223 
			 South Wales 59 101 148 255 363 283 281 250 236

Police

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to issue guidance to police forces in England and Wales on the powers available under section 52 of the Police Reform Act 2002 for the seizure of mini-motorbikes; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002 empowers the police to seize vehicles, including mini-motorbikes, being driven inconsiderately or carelessly on road contrary to section three of the Road Traffic Act 1988, or off-road without authority, contrary to sections 34 of the Act if at the same time they are being driven in such a manner as to cause or be likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public.
	The Home Office issued on 1 November 2005 additional guidance to the police on their power to seize vehicles being used in an anti-social manner. This included examples of best practice where the police were working with the local authority to make effective use of the powers available to the two agencies. The Home Office has organised a number of Action Days with anti-social behaviour practitioners to share best practice around the topic of anti-social use of vehicles and has provided guidance specifically on mini-motorbike misuse through the TOGETHER website: www.together.gov.uk
	Where mini-motorbike nuisance has been identified as a problem locally we would expect the local crime and disorder strategy to address it making use of the guidance issued as appropriate.

Police

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the starting salary was of a police officer in the Cleveland police area in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2005.

Liam Byrne: The starting salary for a police constable in Cleveland on appointment and prior to the completion of initial training was  (a) £15,438 from September 1997 and  (b) £20,397 from September 2005.

Police

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding was made available to the Shropshire Division of West Mercia police for the Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign.

Liam Byrne: Shropshire Division of West Mercia police was allocated £3,000 by the Police Standards Unit for the third national Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign (AMEC 3), which ran from14 November 2005 until the end of that year. The division did not submit a bid for funding for the fourth Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign, which is taking place from 8 May to 8 June 2006.

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is given to telephone call handlers in police call centres; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Forces currently provide extensive induction training to call handling staff lasting approximately four to six weeks. Training varies from force to force, but mainly consists of modules around basic call handling skills, questioning skills, caller expectation settings and also includes IT systems training, policy and procedures, minimal law training and in some forces self-care and stress management.
	The National Call-handling Standard (NCHS), currently being introduced to forces, includes the provision of a detailed training package.

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were employed in  (a) armed response units and  (b) specialist firearms officers teams in Bedfordshire police force in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The number of authorised firearms officers in Bedfordshire police since 1996-97 are shown in the table. We do not hold information on whether these officers are in armed response units or specialist firearms officers' teams.
	
		
			  Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs), Bedfordshire 
			   Number 
			 1996-97 46 
			 1997-98 42 
			 1998-99 50 
			 1999-2000 46 
			 2000-01 45 
			 2001-02 48 
			 2002-03 53 
			 2003-04 58 
			 2004-05 56

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what national guidelines are issued to  (a) police firearms units and  (b) specialist firearms officers teams on handling incidents; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: National guidance on the handling of firearms incidents is contained within the association of chief police officers (ACPO) manual of guidance on police use of firearms available on the ACPO website (www.acpo.police.co.uk).

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the use of firearms was authorised in operations in each police force in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The number of operations in which firearms were authorised in each police force in England and Wales is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of operations in which firearms were authorised 
			   1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-00  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Total 12,379 11,842 10,928 10,915 11,109 13,991 14,827 16,657 15,981 
			 Avon and Somerset 312 139 88 90 65 195 262 311 333 
			 Bedfordshire 345 323 260 190 294 237 301 442 475 
			 Cambridgeshire 54 96 43 75 71 114 57 104 241 
			 Cheshire 288 216 299 386 545 419 451 397 358 
			 Cleveland 1,026 103 35 76 28 37 170 453 530 
			 City of London 308 307 147 125 3 40 131 364 404 
			 Cumbria 72 68 52 24 30 71 77 72 152 
			 Derbyshire 109 147 176 178 167 275 401 369 287 
			 Devon and Cornwall 160 133 61 65 151 101 96 112 71 
			 Dorset 36 54 69 79 174 184 193 231 223 
			 Durham 131 103 114 114 40 89 83 156 144 
			 Essex 331 505 590 497 435 323 312 275 296 
			 Gloucestershire 41 51 52 52 48 165 185 127 176 
			 Gtr Manchester 214 165 160 224 357 580 518 507 461 
			 Hampshire 245 217 129 103 114 198 162 208 237 
			 Hertfordshire 96 82 75 73 86 112 172 195 185 
			 Humberside 291 472 317 193 158 297 187 183 206 
			 Kent 236 423 92 85 83 115 137 207 163 
			 Lancashire 333 338 616 267 242 232 238 318 241 
			 Leicestershire 155 89 109 222 217 300 268 295 260 
			 Lincolnshire 58 52 57 155 336 477 392 386 294 
			 Merseyside 671 675 484 489 825 1,020 628 751 733 
			 Metropolitan 2,439 2,578 2,742 2,862 1,862 2,447 3,199 3,563 2,964 
			 Norfolk 166 128 185 239 226 175 200 178 195 
			 Northamptonshire 64 77 51 57 58 43 138 148 158 
			 Northumbria 1,360 823 683 465 708 1,440 1,275 1,140 977 
			 North Yorkshire 65 102 69 612 72 92 100 147 185 
			 Nottinghamshire 84 306 266 255 233 384 452 459 408 
			 South Yorkshire 155 302 135 237 127 258 463 484 546 
			 Staffordshire 257 240 209 174 203 232 281 255 216 
			 Suffolk 180 193 174 165 176 163 270 251 153 
			 Surrey 133 87 60 143 221 245 247 203 151 
			 Sussex 235 330 123 185 353 248 204 280 187 
			 Thames Valley 215 227 158 110 153 179 167 195 289 
			 Warwickshire 97 152 291 194 233 130 149 164 124 
			 West Mercia 106 132 130 110 36 117 91 197 162 
			 West Midlands 270 227 305 362 485 822 902 1,377 1,264 
			 West Yorkshire 617 630 662 813 822 757 604 575 853 
			 Wiltshire 26 26 24 19 66 45 58 63 88 
			 Dyfed Powys 17 27 38 37 18 28 29 28 51 
			 Gwent 89 86 64 39 30 20 37 40 81 
			 North Wales 233 310 386 371 195 302 259 197 223 
			 South Wales 59 101 148 255 363 283 281 250 236

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the impact of the proposed restructuring of police forces on the provision of  (a) armed response units and  (b) specialist firearms officers teams; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The assessment found that the resources providing the armed response function were required to be dual-function, providing other services such as roads policing. Clearly, this caused difficulties in trying to respond to simultaneous incidents. In addition, many smaller forces did not provide their own (expensive) specialist firearms services but looked to neighbouring forces to assist them as and when incidents occurred, relying on goodwill and building in a delay to what is often an urgent requirement.
	The impact of restructuring will be that new forces will have sufficient resilience to provide armed response units dedicated solely to this function. This will allow them to gain greater skills and experience and have sufficient capacity to focus on not just responding to firearms incidents but also preventative work. Forces will be of sufficient size to allow them to develop their own dedicated, specialist firearms services, improving their training, expertise and experience of incidents as well as negating their reliance upon others for those services.

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many training courses have been provided by Bedfordshire police in  (a) initial firearms,  (b) armed response vehicles,  (c) specialist firearms officers,  (d) national firearms instructors,  (e) tactical refreshers for authorised firearms officers and  (f) firearms incident command training; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: This information is not held centrally. Training police officers in the use of firearms is an operational matter for individual chief officers.

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the deployment of  (a) armed response units and  (b) specialist firearms officers in Bedfordshire; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: We have received no representations about the deployment of firearms officers by Bedfordshire police. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for chief officers.

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were employed in  (a) armed response units and  (b) specialist firearms officers teams in each police force in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The number of Authorised Firearms Officers in each force in England and Wales since 1996-97 is shown in the table. We do not hold information on whether these officers are in armed response units or specialist firearms officers' teams.
	
		
			  Number of authorised firearms officers (AFOs) 
			   1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Total 6,738 6,585 6,308 6,262 6,064 5,776 5,763 6,096 6,243 
			 Avon and Somerset 165 161 153 150 135 116 84 122 118 
			 Bedfordshire 46 42 50 46 45 48 53 58 56 
			 Cambridgeshire 90 80 80 77 73 56 71 60 60 
			 Cheshire 70 82 70 75 74 81 89 75 76 
			 Cleveland 86 84 78 80 75 85 80 95 100 
			 City of London 88 81 55 73 74 73 72 86 89 
			 Cumbria 108 122 98 98 94 92 87 89 90 
			 Derbyshire 110 100 87 77 81 80 69 70 74 
			 Devon and Cornwall 151 147 82 119 100 108 115 132 123 
			 Dorset 74 72 72 66 67 57 59 60 64 
			 Durham 138 144 96 101 101 86 102 97 103 
			 Essex 228 217 235 228 195 180 184 186 202 
			 Gloucestershire 82j 84 79 77 72 71 80 82 93 
			 Gtr Manchester 209 182 217 218 240 219 202 205 187 
			 Hampshire 106 112 110 111 100 87 94 94 92 
			 Hertfordshire 42 41 43 52 44 46 47 50 53 
			 Humberside 90 102 102 97 102 96 96 96 101 
			 Kent 150 150 130 136 136 113 93 90 94 
			 Lancashire 132 125 132 143 132 138 129 122 115 
			 Leicestershire 104 94 90 90 85 69 68 51 53 
			 Lincolnshire 82 85 75 78 80 91 87 78 86 
			 Merseyside 147 165 121 96 103 78 84 94 93 
			 Metropolitan 2,035 1,971 1,951 1,977 1,940 1,805 1,823 2,060 2,134 
			 Norfolk 98 102 109 110 114 104 109 114 125 
			 Northamptonshire 92 92 92 75 77 51 56 52 50 
			 Northumbria 173 126 123 114 109 125 99 90 93 
			 North Yorkshire 108 95 83 59 66 66 64 60 56 
			 Nottinghamshire 128 129 120 116 137 136 131 138 138 
			 South Yorkshire 110 108 90 100 98 92 100 98 122 
			 Staffordshire 78 86 92 81 67 71 63 67 76 
			 Suffolk 82 96 101 98 90 90 80 96 88 
			 Surrey 76 61 69 71 72 62 48 53 49 
			 Sussex 180 146 156 131 118 120 141 134 130 
			 Thames Valley 185 194 179 187 185 156 180 172 176 
			 Warwickshire 41 38 44 54 45 50 51 46 53 
			 West Mercia 155 159 139 129 130 125 131 139 141 
			 West Midlands 88 95 92 93 83 111 110 124 134 
			 West Yorkshire 131 114 128 110 117 116 132 140 130 
			 Wiltshire 134 105 88 89 71 71 78 80 74 
			 Dyfed Powys 70 71 67 65 61 77 62 58 79 
			 Gwent 70 59 64 68 66 57 60 71 74 
			 North Wales 72 90 97 92 67 83 75 73 65 
			 South Wales 134 176 169 155 143 138 125 139 134

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State forthe Home Department how much was spent on training for members of  (a) armed response units and (b) specialist firearms officers teams in each police force in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: This information is not collected centrally. It is a matter for individual chief officers of police to decide how many trained authorised firearms officers are needed within their force, based on a thorough threat and risk assessment.

Police

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) average pay and  (b) average yearly percentage change in pay was of a (i) police constable, (ii) police sergeant, (iii) police inspector and (iv) chief constable in each of the last 20 years in real terms at current prices.

John Healey: The information requested fails within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 22 May 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to ask what the  (a) average pay and  (b) average yearly percentage change in pay was of a(i) police constable, (ii) police sergeant, (iii) police inspector and (iv) chief constable in each of the last 20 years in real terms at current prices. I am replying in her absence. (56210).
	Average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for full time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. This is the standard definition used for ASHE. The ASHE does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work. Earlier estimates are from the New Earnings Survey (NES) which used a similar definition for earnings estimates.
	I attach tables showing Average Gross Weekly Earnings and growth in pay, by occupation for the years 1986 to 2005. Estimates of changes between years are subject to sampling variations. In particular some changes prior to the introduction of ASHE in 1997 should be treated with caution. The occupational classification used for ASHE have only two levels of classification relating to police officers, which are given in the attached tables. Current prices refer to figures expressed in terms of the prices that were current for the period. Consequently figures for 2000 are in terms of prices that were current in 2000 and figure for 1990 are in terms of prices that were current in 1990.
	The ASHE and its predecessor NES, carried out in April of each year, are the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. They are based on a one per cent. sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes.
	
		
			  Gross weekly (£) pay for full time employee jobs ( 1)  by occupation 
			   Police officers (inspectors and above) ( 2) 
			   Media  Growth  Mean  Growth 
			 1986 355 — 373 — 
			 1987 386 8.7 400 7.1 
			 1988 424 40.0 446 11.6 
			 1989 439 3.6 462 3.6 
			 1990 456 3.8 490 6.1 
			 1991 528 15.7 565 15.2 
			 1992 554 5.0 590 4.4 
			 1993 600 8.4 631 7.0 
			 1994 577 3.9 634 0.6 
			 1995 627 8.7 646 1.8 
			 1996 655 4.5 679 5.1 
			 1997 (3) 671 2.4 684 0.9 
			  
			 1997 671 — 685 — 
			 1998 707 5.4 721 52 
			 1999 707 0.1 743 3.1 
			 2000 716 1.2 775 4.3 
			 2001 743 3.8 814 5.1 
			 2002 752 1.1 831 2.1 
			 2003 801 6.6 864 4.0 
			 2004 825 2.9 903 4.4 
			 2004 (4) 836 — 903 — 
			 2005 922 (5)— 1,017 (5)— 
		
	
	
		
			   Police officers (sergeant and below) ( 2) 
			   Median  Growth  Mean  Growth 
			 1986 235 — 247 — 
			 1987 250 6.2 263 6.1 
			 1988 272 8.9 286 8.8 
			 1989 291 6.7 303 6.2 
			 1990 329 13.4 340 12.0 
			 1991 361 9.5 377 11.1 
			 1992 405 12.2 412 9.1 
			 1993 410 1.2 424 3.0 
			 1994 413 0.9 428 0.8 
			 1995 426 3.0 440 2.9 
			 1996 445 4.7 463 5.2 
			 1997 (3) 460 3.2 471 1.7 
			  
			 1997 466 — 479 — 
			 1998 483 3.7 495 3.5 
			 1999 503 4.1 514 3.7 
			 2000 523 4.0 535 4.1 
			 2001 542 3.7 564 5.4 
			 2002 559 3.1 582 3.2 
			 2003 586 4.9 612 5.3 
			 2004 599 2.1 627 2.5 
			 2004 (4) 605 — 632 — 
			 2005 660 (5)— 677 (5)— 
			 (1 )Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. (2) Discontinuities exist within NES and ASHE data over time, these have been reflected within the above time series. (3) From 1985-97 estimates are based on the New Earnings Survey. From 1997-2005 estimates are based on the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. (4) In 2004 additional supplementary surveys were introduced to improve the coverage of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Figures are presented both excluding and including the additional surveys for comparison purposes. (5) Figures for average gross weekly earnings are discontinuous for these occupations in 2005 due to a change in the ASHE questionnaire. Figures for 2005 include allowances that were not previously included. Growths can be estimated from figures for basic pay excluding those allowances for both years.  2005 growth in basic pay: Police officers (inspectors and above): Median: 2.6; Mean: 2.4 Police officers (sergeant and below): Median: 3.0; Mean: 2.8  Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV e.g. for an average of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220. The above estimates have a CV of less than 5 per cent. The median replaces the mean as the heading statistic. The weighted mean is the sum of the weighted values divided by the sum of the weights. The median is the value below which 50 per cent. of employees fall. It is preferred over the mean for earnings data as it is influenced less by extreme values and because of the skewed distribution of earnings data .  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

Police

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on an all-Wales police force; and how manyof those representations were  (a) in favour of and (b) opposed to such a force.

Liam Byrne: The four Welsh police authorities submitted business cases in December, but at that point were unable to indicate a preferred option. They all recognise that a single strategic force for Wales is operationally viable, although they share some concerns. We have received various other representations, including from the forces, the Welsh Assembly and local authorities.

Police

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many students are taking part in policing foundation degree courses; what the cost of the programme will be in 2006-07; if he will list the forces that have opted into the project; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 16 May 2006
	We do not have figures as to the numbers who are taking part in foundation degrees in these or other forces.
	The Government are providing forces in 2006-07 and 2007-08 with funding for the initial police learning and development programme (IPLDP) of £3,000 per police officer recruit, up to a level of recruitment that maintains officer numbers at the level that they reached at 31 March 2005. This is a national programme that provides forces with flexibility to tailor their initial police training to local needs.

Police

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police there are in the Metropolitan police force.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is availablein the "Police Service Strength publication as at30 September 2005". This report was published on23 January 2006 and is available in the Library ofthe House and on: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb0106.pdf

Prison

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were released on licence during each of the last eight financial years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: For an indication of the number released since 1997, see Table 7.1 of the "Home Office Statistical Bulletin: Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2004", a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library. This table shows the number of receptionsinto prison establishments in each year since 1994.Chapter 10 of the same publication explains release arrangements for prisoners.

Prison

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the earliest stage is in the criminal procedure at which evidence of an individual's nationality is requested; in what written form such information is  (a) requested and  (b) maintained; and on how many occasions and at what cost a translator has been used in such circumstances in each yearsince 1997.

Liam Byrne: Section seven of the PACE Code on Practice on Detention, treatment and questioning of persons by police officers (Code C) requires that any person held in police detention who is a citizen of an independent Commonwealth country or a national of a foreign country, including the Republic of Ireland, may communicate at any time with the appropriate high commission, embassy or consulate. If the detainee is a citizen of a country with which a bilateral consular convention or agreement is in force requiring notification of arrest the appropriate high commission, embassy or consulate shall be informed as soon as practicable.
	Establishing the nationality of a person suspected of involvement in an offence prior to this stage is not requested or required unless it is considered relevant to an offence. The information will be recorded on the person's custody record in accordance with section two of PACE Code C. Information is not held centrally on the number of such detainees or the cost of translators.

Prison

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons run remedial programmes for inmates with personality disorders.

Gerry Sutcliffe: HMP Dovegate and HMP Grendon run large therapeutic communities while HMP Gartree, HMP Blundeston and HMYOI Aylesbury run smaller therapeutic communities. A new women's therapeutic community is being developed at HMP Send. These communities offer long term residential treatment programmes where emotional and psychological needs are addressed together with risk factors relating to offending behaviour.
	For prisoners with dangerous and severe personality disorder, there are units at HMP Frankland and HMP Whitemoor. There is also a prison-based specialist in-reach service for up to 12 women who are dangerous as a result of a personality disorder which has recently opened at HMP Low Newton.

Prison

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) juvenile inmates have been diagnosed with (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) more than two mental health disorders; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information is not available in the form requested. The information available, from a survey of psychiatric morbidity among prisoners in England and Wales in 1997, by the Office for National Statistics, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of mental disorders by prisoner type 
			  Number of mental disorders  Male  Female  Young offenders 
			 One 20 19 16 
			 Two 28 28 25 
			 Two plus 44 42 54 
			  Source:  Psychiatric Morbidity Amongst Prisoners in England and Wales (ONS, 1998)

Prison

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1318W, on prisoners, what information his Department collects on prisoners who have Sky TV in their cells.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Prisoners' access to Sky television in-cell is based on a quarterly Incentives and Earned Privileges assessment, which incorporates records of recent behaviour and achievement. While the public sector Prison Service records relevant information on all prisoners, including their offence history and prison record, this information is not linked to records of prisoners who have access to Sky television.

Prison

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1318W, on prisoners, what the cost to the Prison Service is of prisoners receiving Sky TV in their cells.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sky television subscriptions in the four public sector prisons where it is available to some prisoners in cell cost £1,533.38 a month. However, 665 of the prisoners with access to Sky TV in cell are held in contracted-out prisons where the cost of the facility is not borne by the Prison Service.

Prison

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the staff turnover rates were in prisons operated by the  (a) public sector and  (b) private sector in each of the last five years; what assessment he has made of the two figures; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on the turnover rate of permanent staff, including retirements, within public sector Prison Service establishments is detailed in the following table. Information on staffing turnover in the contracted estate is not routinely collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Staff turnover in public sector prisons 
			 2001 7.7 
			 2002 7.4 
			 2003 8.0 
			 2004 7.7 
			 2005 7.7

Prison

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mobile telephones have been recovered at each prison in each of the last12 months for which figures are available; how many of these telephones were recovered  (a) as a resultof mobile telephone detectors and  (b) after analysis of recovered handsets; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information is as follows:
	 (a) Mobile phone detectors are now being used more readily across the prison estate although the data of these finds is not recorded centrally.
	From 1 September 2005 the National Dog and Technical Support Group has been recording details of mobile phones and SIM cards that prisons have passed to them for specialist investigation. Data obtained cannot be broken down to identify those mobile phones and SIM cards found as a result of detectors.
	 (b) Data on the number of mobile phones found as a result of analysis of handsets is not recorded.
	
		
			  Mobile phone and SIM card interrogation fiscal year record 
			  Establishment  September 2005  October 2005  November 2005  December 2005  January 2006 
			 Ashwell — — — — 7 
			 Aylesbury — — 2 — — 
			 Bedford — 4 6 2 5 
			 Bristol 2 9 2 5 5 
			 Brixton 1 — — — — 
			 Blundeston 6 6 1 9 6 
			 Brinsford — — — 1 — 
			 Bullingdon — — 1 — 2 
			 Bullwood Hall — — 1 — — 
			 Blakenhurst — — 1 8 1 
			 Canterbury — — — 3 1 
			 Chelmsford 1 1 1 — 4 
			 Cookham Wood — — — — 2 
			 Doncaster 1 — — — — 
			 Dorchester 1 1 — — — 
			 Deerbolt — 2 — — — 
			 Dartmoor — 1 — — — 
			 Drake Hall — — — 1 — 
			 Edmund Hill 1 — — — — 
			 Elmley — — — 2 — 
			 Erlestoke 2 — 6 — — 
			 Exeter — — — — 1 
			 Feltham 5 — — — — 
			 Featherstone 3 — — — — 
			 Full Sutton 1 — 6 4 1 
			 Ford 1 1 — 1 6 
			 Forrest Bank — — — — 1 
			 Garth 7 1 13 13 5 
			 Glen Parva — 1 — — — 
			 Gloucester — — — — 1 
			 Hatfield — 1 — — — 
			 Highdown — — 1 — — 
			 Hindley — — 1 — 1 
			 Highpoint 29 20 15 3 7 
			 Hull 1 2 — — 1 
			 Haverigg 1 4 3 4 4 
			 Holme House — 1 1 2 — 
			 Kirkham 2 3 3 2 2 
			 Kirklevington — — — 1 — 
			 Kingstone — — 1 — — 
			 Leeds 2 5 2 6 3 
			 Long Lartin 3 — 1 6 12 
			 Leicester 2 — — — — 
			 Lewes — 7 2 — 7 
			 Leyhill — — — — 3 
			 Liverpool — — — 12 4 
			 Little Hey — — 3 1 — 
			 Morton Hall — 1 — — — 
			 Maidstone 2 3 1 — — 
			 Manchester — 11 — — — 
			 Moorland — — 3 — 3 
			 North Sea Camp 4 2 1 6 5 
			 Nottingham 3 — — — — 
			 Northallerton 2 — 1 1 — 
			 Norwich 1 3 3 1 4 
			 Onley 1 — — — 1 
			 Parkhurst 2 — — — 4 
			 Peterborough — 1 — 1 — 
			 Risley 2 — — — — 
			 Reading — 1 — — — 
			 Springhill — — — 6 13 
			 Stocken — — — 4 3 
			 Sudbury — — — 3 1 
			 Swansea 2 1 — — 1 
			 Swaleside — — — 4 8 
			 Swinfen Hall 1 2 — 1 1 
			 Stafford — 7 4 — — 
			 The Mount — — — — 7 
			 Usk — 1 — — — 
			 Verne 1 — — 1 2 
			 Wakefield — — — — 1 
			 Wayland 4 — 5 — — 
			 Wandsworth 39 8 — — — 
			 Wealstun — 6 — 1 — 
			 Wellingborough — — — — 1 
			 Wymott — 3 — 3 — 
			 Wolds — 1 — — — 
			 Woodhill — 2 — 1 1 
			 Total 136 123 91 119 148

Prison

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance  (a) Ministers,  (b) departmental officials and  (c) the Prison Service have issued over the last 12 months regarding the role of the police in investigating the supply of contraband within the prison estate; on what date the guidance was issued; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: On 6 December 2005, the Director of Operations wrote to all governing governors of public sector prisons, reminding them that the police must be contacted whenever visitors or staff were found in possession of classified drugs. Where governors believed that referral to the police was not appropriate, the case had to be considered by a director at Prison Service headquarters.

Prison

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many prison governors have faced investigation into drugs-related offences at each establishment in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many prison officers at each prison establishment have been investigated for drugs-related offences in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested was not held in a form that enables a distinction between grade or by year. Investigations are registered under the main category of offence being investigated. Between 1 July 2000 and 1 February 2006, there were three investigations registered under significant drug find and 82 under trafficking.

Prison

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the provision of visitors' facilities at adult prisons and young offender institutions in England and Wales; and what the Prison Service budget is for such provision.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government recognise the importance of family and community ties to resettlement and the wider reducing reoffending strategy. Contact between prisoners and their friends and families is supported in a number of ways.
	Facilities for visitors vary across the prison estate, depending on the location and type of prison. They include visitors' centres, play areas in visitors' centres and visits halls, family and children's visits, and family contact workers. The specific provision at each establishment, including financing, is a matter for individual governors.

Prison

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time (i) chaplains, (ii) rabbis, (iii) imams and (iv) clerics of other religions are employed by the Prison Service in England and Wales.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table details the number of directly employed chaplains within the public sector Prison Service and is broken down by the religion of the chaplain. There are no directly employed rabbis recorded as Jewish. In addition to directly employed chaplains, a large number of chaplains also work for the Prison Service on a sessional (fee paid) basis but the numbers are not recorded centrally.
	
		
			  Number of directly employed chaplains within the public sector Prison Service 
			  Denomination  Full-time  Part-time  Total 
			 Christian 170 99 269 
			 Muslim 26 13 39 
			 Hindu 1 — 1 
			 Total 197 112 309

Prison

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding his Department is making available for building new prisons to replace ageing buildings in the prison estate.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I refer the hon. Member to my answer published in  Hansard on 1 February 2006,  Official Report, column 581.

Prison

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the need for step-down facilities at HM Prison Grendon for prisoners who have completed their course; and what steps are being taken by his Department to increase access and funding for step-down facilities at the prison.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Following a recommendation in her most recent inspection report, the Chief Inspector made a recommendation that there should be specific planning to assist prisoners at Grendon reintegrate into the mainstream prison system, including follow-up support for prisoners after they move to other prisons.
	A review was completed, and such an initiative would be welcome, but funding is not currently available.

Prison

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the proportion of prisons that keep food premises  (a) clean,  (b) pest free and  (c) in good repair.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Catering standards in prisons are audited by the Service's Standard Audit Unit on a two-year cycle. In 2005-06, 16 per cent. of audits against the baseline for food premises being clean, pest free and in good repair, were fully compliant. A further 44 per cent. of audits during the same period show that minor action was needed to fully meet the requirements. Action plans are agreed to correct all deficiencies identified following each audit.

Prison

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of transfers of inmates between prison establishments for each year since 1997, broken down by prison establishment.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Figures on the transfer of prisoners between establishments have been centrally recorded since 2003. Details of transfers in the last three years are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Prisoner transfers by prison and year 
			   Transfers out 
			  Prisons  2003  2004  2005 
			 Acklington 335 322 330 
			 Albany 125 111 48 
			 Altcourse 1,808 1,881 1,719 
			 Ashfield 516 158 171 
			 Ashwell 477 493 540 
			 Askham Grange 40 45 40 
			 Aylesbury 164 192 151 
			 Bedford 1,624 1,462 1,571 
			 Belmarsh 1,908 1,865 1,952 
			 Birmingham 2,374 1,968 2,810 
			 Blakenhurst 2,995 3,019 2,349 
			 Blantyre House 35 16 34 
			 Blundeston 379 339 381 
			 Brinsford 1,190 1,285 1,128 
			 Bristol 2,050 2,068 1,767 
			 Brixton 1,985 2,143 2,130 
			 Brockhill 976 832 506 
			 Bronzefield — 372 1199 
			 Buckley Hall 261 221 284 
			 Bullingdon 1,447 1,173 1,277 
			 Bullwood Hall 100 87 85 
			 Camp Hill 289 354 388 
			 Canterbury 375 253 257 
			 Cardiff 846 951 790 
			 Castington 760 583 563 
			 Channings Wood 228 307 301 
			 Chelmsford 1,648 1,857 2,060 
			 Coldingley 313 270 348 
			 Cookham Wood 132 208 91 
			 Dartmoor 354 292 385 
			 Deerbolt 225 273 163 
			 Doncaster 2,694 2,451 2,143 
			 Dorchester 1,054 939 995 
			 Dovegate 466 475 289 
			 Dover 21 11 6 
			 Downview 176 152 150 
			 Drake Hall 103 115 69 
			 Durham 1,738 1,476 1,179 
			 East Sutton Park 15 27 30 
			 Eastwood Park 887 567 255 
			 Edmunds Hill 452 505 163 
			 Elmley 2,095 1,976 2,210 
			 Erlestoke 302 355 363 
			 Everthorpe 209 296 263 
			 Exeter 1,101 1,143 1,172 
			 Featherstone 414 383 366 
			 Feltham 2,241 2,262 2,182 
			 Ford 279 277 262 
			 Forest Bank 1,752 1,976 1,851 
			 Foston Hall 324 254 348 
			 Frankland 158 174 145 
			 Full Sutton 290 302 253 
			 Garth 361 352 430 
			 Gartree 105 119 121 
			 Glen Parva 994 855 903 
			 Gloucester 1,251 1,373 1,225 
			 Grendon 112 116 125 
			 Guys Marsh 411 436 449 
			 Haslar 27 5 1 
			 Haverigg 756 699 714 
			 Hewell Grange 91 122 119 
			 Highdown 1,965 1,895 2,139 
			 Highpoint 445 490 585 
			 Hindley 595 561 523 
			 Hollesley Bay 178 247 213 
			 Holloway 2,261 1,827 988 
			 Holme House 1,229 924 722 
			 Hull 2,145 1,906 2,028 
			 Huntercombe 134 162 140 
			 Kingston 92 36 42 
			 Kirkham 423 494 376 
			 Kirklevington 49 66 68 
			 Lancaster 137 171 172 
			 Lancaster Farms 1,293 1,713 1,622 
			 Latchmere House 45 30 39 
			 Leeds 1,952 2,144 2,386 
			 Leicester 1,764 1,645 1,619 
			 Lewes 1,206 1,123 1,083 
			 Leyhill 276 334 272 
			 Lincoln 852 1280 1193 
			 Lindholme 568 476 447 
			 Littlehey 314 287 273 
			 Liverpool 1,382 1,469 1,678 
			 Long Lartin 267 269 220 
			 Low Newton 258 138 91 
			 Lowdham Grange 329 375 328 
			 Maidstone 533 282 225 
			 Manchester 2,100 1,747 1,747 
			 Moorland 550 539 501 
			 Moorland Open 212 230 228 
			 Morion Hall 103 133 69 
			 Mount 553 604 463 
			 New Hall 899 863 395 
			 North Sea Camp 178 178 144 
			 Northallerton 255 106 127 
			 Norwich 1,162 1,190 1,309 
			 Nottingham 2,362 2,284 2,153 
			 Onley 459 427 280 
			 Pare 627 745 494 
			 Parkhurst 332 255 234 
			 Pentonville 2,589 2,437 3,080 
			 Peterborough — — 587 
			 Portland 290 354 229 
			 Prescoed 63 88 57 
			 Preston 2,000 1,781 1,852 
			 Ranby 515 592 677 
			 Reading 589 658 689 
			 Risley 734 824 817 
			 Rochester 92 190 228 
			 Rye Hill 324 374 329 
			 Send 151 161 60 
			 Shepton Mallet 78 82 74 
			 Shrewsbury 1,395 1,007 971 
			 Spring Hill 163 214 177 
			 Stafford 509 316 341 
			 Standford Hill 380 354 328 
			 Stocken 366 390 444 
			 Stoke Heath 521 899 843 
			 Styal 907 648 584 
			 Sudbury 245 274 285 
			 Swaleside 320 312 290 
			 Swansea 578 637 621 
			 Swinfen Hall 136 115 130 
			 Thorn Cross 294 252 257 
			 Usk 59 62 50 
			 Verne 282 410 289 
			 Wakefield 137 160 157 
			 Wandsworth 2,136 2,252 2,410 
			 Wayland 406 439 438 
			 Wealstun 428 328 281 
			 Weare 306 326 178 
			 Wellingborough 355 372 405 
			 Werrington 106 87 100 
			 Wetherby 321 251 162 
			 Whatton 68 98 81 
			 Whitemoor 180 167 136 
			 Winchester 1,765 1,808 1,561 
			 Wolds 245 220 172 
			 Woodhill 1,770 1,988 2,278 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 1,921 2,049 2,465 
			 Wymott 290 412 495 
			 Total 101,467 99,788 97,975

Prison

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how data is collected on the hours spent by prisoners undertaking purposeful activity; and what estimate he has made of the time prison officers spent collecting this information in the last period for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data for purposeful activity is collected electronically from establishments. Every week each prison reports information on the number of prisoners undertaking a range of activities defined as purposeful. Specific software is available to prisons for reporting this data.
	Data is not available on the amount of time spent collecting this information. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Prison

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have escaped from prison in England and Wales in each of the last 20 years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table shows the total number of prisoners who have escaped in the last 10 calendar years and this year to date. The table contains the total number of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) escapes from prisons. A KPI escape is one where (a) the prisoner is not captured within 15 minutes or (b) the prisoner is recaptured within 15 minutes but has committed an offence other than escape before recapture. Once a prisoner is unlawfully at large the matter passes into the hands of the police.
	
		
			  Number of escapes from prisons in England and Wales since 1996 to date 
			   Total escapes from establishments  Total KPI escapes 
			 1996 28 42 
			 1997 23 23 
			 1998 63 24 
			 1999 32 32 
			 2000 15 12 
			 2001 13 14 
			 2002 8 9 
			 2003 12 11 
			 2004 10 10 
			 2005 3 3 
			 2006 to date 2 2

Prison

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the 10 most common offences are for which women are sent to prison in England and Wales, broken down by age group.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Women sentenced to immediate custody at all courts in England and Wales in 2004—top 10 offences 
			  Number of women sentenced to immediate custody 
			  Offence  Aged 10-17  Aged 18-20  Aged 21 and over  All ages 
			 Theft from shops 35 172 2,139 2,346 
			 Other wounding etc(1) 89 85 344 518 
			 Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a class A drug 8 40 437 485 
			 'Other' fraud(2) 6 22 429 457 
			 Failing to surrender to bail 3 42 408 453 
			 Robbery 79 57 217 353 
			 Burglary in a dwelling 26 28 267 321 
			 Driving whilst disqualified 4 12 300 316 
			 Common assault 48 50 210 308 
			 Assault on a constable 23 44 221 288 
			 All Offences 444 819 7,491 8,754 
			 (1) Mostly wounding or inflicting GBH (without intent) (2) Mostly obtaining property by deception.  Source: RDS-NOMS, Home Office

Prison

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the expenditure was on prisoner education in each of the last two years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department for Education and Skills had a ring-fenced budget for offenders' learning and skills of £136 million in 2004-05 and £151 million in 2005-06. This covers learning and skills provision in prisons as well as for offenders in the community.

Prison

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when work commenced on the rebuilding and refurbishment programme at HMP Chelmsford; when the work ceased due to financial problems; when work is expected to recommence; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 6 February 2006
	The project partnering agreement that allowed the constructor to commence detailed design work was signed in March 2005. Some preliminary site set-up activities commenced in March and the actual pre-commencement activity started on 31 May 2005. This involved refurbishment of the existing old healthcare building, detailed design of the project and site preparation (fencing) for construction of the new houseblock.
	No building work started on the new houseblock, visits and workshop as the costs of these works were found to be above the budget when the constructor's detailed tender costs were submitted in August 2005. The estate planning committee (the governance authority) agreed the increased budget cost of£5.5 million on 27 September 2005 and the project was authorised to continue. The finalised contract value of £26.5 million for a new houseblock, workshop and visits building together with major refurbishments of the gatehouse, old healthcare and old visits buildings was submitted by the constructor and the full commencement agreement was signed on 10 October 2005 and work fully re-commenced immediately.
	The new houseblock and visits are expected to be available in December 2006 with all the elements of the project finally completing in April 2007.

Probation

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders on probation under a community service order have been the subject of a recommendation by the Probation Service that they should be returned to prison in the last five years; and how many were subsequently returned to prison as a result of the recommendation.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The readily available information, which relates to the number of persons breaching community orders and those sentenced to immediate custody as a result, is published in Table 4.13 of "Sentencing Statistics, England and Wales, 2004"(page 92). This publication can be found in the Library and also on the Home Office website, as follows:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb1505.pdf

Probation

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what complaints his Department has received from  (a) individuals and  (b) groups regarding the workings of the probation services in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: A National Complaints Procedure, agreed by the Secretary of State, enables local probation areas to handle complaints. Complaints must however, be from individuals. Each probation area will maintain their own record of complaints received and the outcome of these cases. Unresolved local complaints are escalated to the independent Prison and Probation Ombudsman.
	General correspondence from individuals or groups complaining about the probation service received from people who are ineligible to complain under the procedure above, will have been answered by the appropriate unit but the Department does not collect the information in the form requested.
	
		
			   Number received  Number eligible 
			 September 2001-March 2002 83 5 
			 April 2002-March 2003 191 31 
			 April 2003-March 2004 279 28 
			 April 2004-March 2005 307 41

Public Order

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders were found guilty of  (a) drunken and disorderly behaviour and  (b) drunken and aggravated disorderly behaviour in (i) England and (ii) Kingston upon Hull, North in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform showing the number of offenders convicted at all courts for 'simple drunkenness' and 'drunkenness with aggravation' in Kingston upon Hull petty sessional area and England, 1997-2004 are provided in the first table. It is not possible to separately identify convictions in Kingston upon Hull, North as the data are not collected at that level of detail.
	Statistics for 2005 court proceedings will be available in the autumn of 2006.
	Some drunkenness offences are now dealt with by penalty notice for disorder. Previously, such cases would have either gone to court or been dealt with by caution or informal warning. The penalty notice for disorder scheme (PND) was brought into effect in all police forces in England and Wales during 2004. Under the scheme the police are able to issue persons committing specified minor offences with a fixed penalty notice.
	No admission of guilt is required and payment of the penalty discharges all liability for the offence. Data on the number of PNDs for offences related to drunkenness for 2004 and provisional data for 2005 are provided in the second table. Offences related to aggravated drunken behaviour are not included in the scheme.
	
		
			  Number of offenders found guilty at all courts for offences related to drunkenness, Kingston upon Hull petty sessional area and England, 1997 to 2004 
			   Kingston upon Hull  England 
			   Drunkenness, simple  Drunkenness with aggravation  Drunkenness, simple  Drunkenness with aggravation 
			 1997 5 60 3,333 22,474 
			 1998 4 51 3,710 23,864 
			 1999 3 65 3,134 22,764 
			 2000 — 40 2,579 22,078 
			 2001 2 23 2,424 21,468 
			 2002 1 19 2,201 22,741 
			 2003 2 19 1,999 23,893 
			 2004 — 20 1,674 17,550 
			  Note:  These data are provided on the principal offence basis   Source: RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of penalty notices for disorder issued in for offences related to drunkenness, England, 2004 and 2005 (provisional data). 
			   Total  DA06 drunk and disorderly  DB05 drunk in a highway  DB07 consumption of alcohol in public place 
			 2004 28,455 25,591 2,387 477 
			 2005 (provisional) 37,742 34,220 2,873 649 
			  Source:  RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform.

Recruitment

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies spent on recruitment, search and selection agencies in each of the last five years.

John Reid: The information requested cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list recommendations from the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure which were  (a) accepted,  (b) implemented in legislation and  (c) rejected; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure was established in 1977 and published its final report in January 1981 (Cm 8092). The Commission made a wide range of recommendations. For example, its report is known to have influenced legislation governing police powers in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and also the establishment of an independent Crown Prosecution Service in the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. There does not appear to have been a formal published Government response to the recommendations in the report and it is not possible to supply the detailed information requested. In the 25 years since the report was published there have been a number of other enquiries, most recently, Sir Robin Auld's Review of the Criminal Courts of England and Wales in 2001.

Rural Crime

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to reduce crime in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Effective and responsive policing at neighbourhood level as well as robust partnership working are both essential parts of our strategy to tackle crime and to sustain the confidence and trust of the public in all parts of the country.
	We introduced the Rural Policing Fund in 2000-01 specifically to enhance the visibility and accessibility of policing in rural areas. 31 police authorities with the most widespread populations have benefited fromthis additional funding. The annual allocation is£30 million. As part of the police funding settlement for 2006-07 and 2007-08, we have consolidated four specific grants, including the Rural Policing Fund, into a single provision for each police authority to give them more control over how they may be used. However, we expect authorities to honour commitments and agreed policy initiatives to build on the outstanding successes achieved by, for example, the Rural Policing Fund that has enhanced the visibility and accessibility of policing in rural areas.
	We have invested in the police right across the country, and there are now more officers on the streets than there have ever been before. Bedfordshire police employed 121 more officers in March 2005 than it did in March 1997. Across England and Wales there were 14,072 extra officers in the same period, giving a record total of 141,230. We have also made a commitment that by April 2007, Neighbourhood Policing will have been introduced to every area in England and Wales.
	There is a wide programme of work under way nationally to reduce violent crime, in both rural and urban areas. We have introduced the Violent Crime Reduction Bill, which contains new measures to ensure that police and local communities have the powers they need to tackle guns, knives and alcohol-related violence.
	Three national Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaigns have taken place, with a fourth due to start before the football World Cup. Police operations targeting hotspots of alcohol-related disorder have included the use of fixed penalty notices, confiscation of alcohol and test purchases to address under-age sales. Bedfordshire police have taken part in these campaigns.
	In Bedfordshire, a number of police operations have targeted violent crime and antisocial behaviour. Operation Coriander has seen high visibility police patrols targeting violence and antisocial behaviour in Flitwick with extra resources at peak times. Operation Lead has taken a similar approach to reducing violence in the night-time economy in several Bedfordshire towns. Additionally, alcohol exclusion zones and dispersal zones have been set up and are being enforced in several locations across the force area.
	Violent crime as measured by British Crime Survey (BCS), considered to be the most reliable measure of violent crime in England and Wales, has fallen significantly in recent years. According to the BCS it has nearly halved (fallen by 43 per cent.) since a peak in 1995, an estimated 1.8 million fewer incidents. It has fallen by 34 per cent. since 1997, by 11 per cent. since 2003-04 and by 5 per cent. since 2004-05.

Security Industry Authority

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of the Security Industry Authority to date.

Vernon Coaker: The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is required to be self-financing from the licence fee income but it was always anticipated that the SIA would not break even in its first couple of years, because of the gradual introduction of licensing which will eventually meet all the SIA's running costs. The deficit in the first year, 2003-04, was £7.1 million as the SIA had no licence income. In 2004-05, the deficit was £13 million, and the estimated deficit for 2005-06 is about £3.5 million.

Sex Trafficking

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of29 November 2005,  Official Report, columns 465-7W to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Susan Kramer), on sex trafficking, what progress has been made on taking forward the necessary steps to ratify the UN convention against transnational organised crime and the related Palermo protocol.

Vernon Coaker: We recently ratified the Convention and its protocols on smuggling and trafficking, having put in place all the legislative requirements to bring our law into compliance with these instruments. The UK ratified the Convention and protocols on 9 February 2006 with an effective date of 11 March 2006.

Tagging Orders

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders have been found guilty of damaging their electronic tag while subject to a tagging order.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Between 1 April 2005, the start date of the new electronic monitoring contracts, and 30 April 2006, a total of 2,695 subjects breached their curfew requirements by maliciously damaging their tag.
	The system is designed to ensure that any attempt to remove a tag within the curfew address automatically registers as a tamper at the electronic monitoring service provider's control centre.

Unsolicited Mail (Fraud)

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions of individuals using unsolicited mail to carry out fraudulent acts there were in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data from the Court Proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the number of persons using unsolicited mail to carry out fraudulent acts is not available.

US Immigration Authorities

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the names of people arrested in England and Wales are reported to US immigration authorities by  (a) the police and  (b) other Government bodies.

Liam Byrne: There are no arrangements for routinely supplying arrest details to US immigration authorities by either the police or other Government bodies. However, information may be shared between agencies during joint criminal investigations.

Witness Intimidation

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been convicted of intimidating witnesses in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data from the court proceedings database held by the office for criminal justice reform for the number of people convicted of intimidating witnesses in England and Wales for the years 2000 to 2004 can be found in the following table.
	Data for 2005 will be available in the autumn of 2006.
	
		
			  Number of people convicted at all courts for offences relating to intimidating in England and Wales 2000 to 2004( 1) 
			  Year 
			  Principal statute  Offence description  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec. 51(1) Intimidating a juror or witness or person assisting in investigation of offenders 364 348 415 467 523 
			 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec. 51(2) Harming or threatening to harm a juror, witness or a person assisting in investigation of offences 66 76 65 76 113 
			 Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S39 Intimidating or intending to intimidate a witness 0 0 3 2 10 
			 Criminal Justice and Police Act S40 Harming or intending to harm a witness 0 0 1 2 2 
			  Total 430 424 484 547 648 
			 (1 )These data are provided on the principal offence basis

Workers Registration Scheme

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from EU accession countries have registered on the Workers Registration Scheme in each year since its inception.

Tony McNulty: 329,090 applicants to the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS) were issued with WRS registration certificates and cards since the scheme's inception on 1 May 2004 to December 2005. This is made up of 125,870 for 2004 and 203,220 for 2005.
	The figures quoted are for applicants rather than the number of applications made. The figures do not include multiple applications, where an individual is undertaking more than one job simultaneously, nor re-registrations, where an individual has changed employers. In addition, an individual who has registered to work and who leaves employment is not required to de-register, therefore some of those counted will have left the employment for which they registered and some are likely to have left the UK.

HEALTH

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has plans to review the Abortion Act 1967; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Government have no plans to review the Abortion Act. It is accepted parliamentary practice that proposals for changes in the law on abortion have come from hon. and right hon. Members on the back benches and that decisions are made on the basis of free votes. In addition, key organisations in the medical profession are not pressing for a review of this area, for example, both the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have said that they do not believe there is a case for changing the time limits for an abortion.

Abuse by Health Staff

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inquiries into abuse by health staff were ordered by  (a) her Department and  (b) NHS trusts and strategic health authorities in the last five years; what the status of each inquiry was; whether the data from each inquiry have been brought together; and what plans for action were made as a result of each inquiry.

Andy Burnham: The investigation of any adverse incident involving healthcare staff is primarily a matter for the local national health service community. Where professional conduct issues are raised then the Department would also expect the relevant professional and regulatory body to be involved. In cases where there are wider concerns about the failure of the systems in place to prevent such incidents, NHS trusts and strategic health authorities may set up independent investigations but information on these is not collected centrally.
	The independent Healthcare Commission and Commission for Social Care Inspection also investigate serious failures in the provision of health and social care which may also involve abuse by healthcare staff.
	Since May 2001, the Department has set up the following independent investigations following concerns about healthcare professionals.
	
		
			  Date set up  Inquiry  Date reported 
			 July 2001 An independent investigation into how the NHS handled allegations about the conduct of Clifford Ayling (a former Kent general practitioner) under section two of the NHS Act 1977 September 2004 
			 July 2001 An independent investigation into how the NHS handled allegations about the performance and conduct of Richard Neale, a gynaecologist who practised in Yorkshire September 2004 
			 July 2001 An independent investigation into how the NHS handled allegations of about the conduct of two psychiatrists, William Kerr and Michael Haslam under section two of the NHS Act 1977 July 2005 
			 November 2001 An independent review of paediatric neurology services at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust October 2003 
		
	
	The Government are awaiting the recommendations of a review by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of certain aspects of medical regulation, including the revalidation of doctors. The CMO is currently finalising his report and will be reporting to Ministers in the near future. Once Ministers have considered the CMO's recommendations, the Government will publish a comprehensive action programme responding to the recommendations in the Ayling, Neale and Kerr/Haslam inquiries as well as the outstanding recommendations of the Shipman Inquiry.
	Both the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and the Department have produced detailed action plans to follow up the recommendations of the review of paediatric neurology services at Leicester effectively in order to minimise the risk of similar future occurrences.

Accident and Emergency Services

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS hospitals had  (a) a 24 hour accident and emergency department and  (b) another accident and emergency facility in (i) 1996 and (ii) 2006; and in which NHS hospitals with 24 hour provision there are confirmed plans to end such provision.

Rosie Winterton: National health service trusts self-report the number of accident and emergency (A and E) services they provide against definitions set by the Department for the three types of A and E. The information available is shown in the following table and this was the position at the end of December 2005.
	
		
			  Number of departments (England) 
			   Number 
			 Type 1 (major) A and E departments 204 
			 Type 2 (single specialty) A and E departments 85 
			 Type 3 A and E departments (minor injury and illness services including minor injury units, including walk-in centres) 321 
			  Source: OMAE 
		
	
	Prior to 2000-01, statistics provided a count of the number of trusts providing the three different A and E services, rather than the number of each type of service. This pre-2000-01 trust data is available on the Department's website at: www.performance.doh.gov .uk/hospitalactivity
	The Department does not routinely collect and hold centrally operational management information on proposals to close wards or capacity.

Advertising

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to take a decision on the criteria that will be used in determining whether sufficient change has taken place in the nature and balance of food advertising to obviate the need for legislation.

Caroline Flint: A range of factors will be taken into account when deciding in 2007 on the need for legislation. As announced at the food and drink advertising and promotion forum on 26 April, my concerns are focused on protecting primary school aged children. We want to see a change in the nature and balance of food and drink advertising and promotion of foods to children so that the foods advertised better represent a balanced diet. We will be building on this further, including the establishment of a baseline against which we can assess what progress has been made.

Alcohol-related Conditions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of people were admitted to acute hospitals in each of the regions where the primary or secondary diagnosis was an alcohol-related condition in each of the last three years for which data are available; and what percentage this was of the population of each region.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally. However, data is available on the number of patients with alcohol related conditions admitted into acute hospitals as a percentage of the total patients admitted in the last three years which is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Government office region of residence  Patients with alcohol related conditions admitted into acute hospitals  Total number of patients for all diagnoses in 2002-03  Total number of patients with alcohol related conditions admitted into acute hospitals as a percentage of the total patients 2002-03 
			 North East 7,546 403,474 0.3 
			 North West 17,479 1,040,178 0.26 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 9,483 753,903 0.19 
			 East Midlands 6,544 57,794 0.15 
			 West Midlands 7,811 720,637 0.15 
			 East of England 5,958 699,663 0.11 
			 London 10,418 905,038 0.14 
			 South East 9,763 993,230 0.12 
			 South West 8,176 715,324 0.16 
			 Other 2,935 538,477 — 
		
	
	
		
			  Government office region of residence  Total number of patients with alcohol related conditions admitted into acute hospitals 2003-04  Total number of patients for all diagnoses in 2003-04  Total number of patients with alcohol related conditions admitted into acute hospitals as a percentage of the total patients 2003-04 
			 North East 8,228 411,347 0.32 
			 North West 21,804 1,062,229 0.32 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 10,463 761,419 0.21 
			 East Midlands 7,680 586,614 0.18 
			 West Midlands 10,065 734,082 0.19 
			 East of England 6,320 731,147 0.12 
			 London 12,127 944,826 0.16 
			 South East 12,175 1,038,816 0.15 
			 South West 9,494 733,213 0.19 
			 Other 3,666 542,457 — 
		
	
	
		
			  Government office region of residence  Total number of patients with alcohol related conditions admitted into acute hospitals 2004-05  Total number of patients for all diagnoses in 2004-05  Total number of patients with alcohol related conditions admitted into acute hospitals as a percentage of the total patients 2004-05 
			 North East 9,163 411,289 0.36 
			 North West 24,589 1,049,578 0.36 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 11,671 760,500 0.23 
			 East Midlands 8,625 598,954 0.2 
			 West Midlands 10,792 737,583 0.2 
			 East of England 8,169 741,965 0.15 
			 London 14,290 959,481 0.19 
			 South East 14,139 1,053,092 0.17 
			 South West 11,201 745,148 0.22 
			 Other 4,934 563,291 — 
			  Notes: 1. Finished consultant episode (FCE) An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year. 2. Ungrossed data—Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data, that is the data is ungrossed. 3. OPCS-4 codes used F10 (Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol) K70 (Alcoholic liver disease) T51 (Toxic effect of alcohol).  Source: Hospital episode statistics, the Information Centre for health and social care

Avian Influenza

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place at British ports of entry to identify those with the H5N1 virus seeking entry to Britain in the event of a major outbreak overseas.

Rosie Winterton: Regulation 12 of the Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations 1979, regulation 13 of the Public Health (Ships) Regulations 1979 and regulation 8 of the Public Health (International Trains) Regulations 1994 place a duty on conveyance operators to notify the authorities if they become aware that there is a sick person on board an incoming conveyance. The regulations also provide powers for the authorities to take certain actions: for example, to examine or question persons on incoming conveyances where there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that they are suffering from or have been exposed to an infectious disease (aircraft regulation 8, ships regulation 9, trains regulation 9). These regulations apply in England and Wales, and their application in Wales is overseen by the National Assembly for Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulations.
	The Government keeps under review the measures that might be required in the event of a flu pandemic among humans. Currently the advice from the World Health Organisation is that H5N1 is a disease of birds and there is not efficient or sustained transmission from one human to another.

Blood Samples

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the average level among the UK population of  (a) n-heptane and  (b) polybrominated biphenyl in (i) blood samples and (ii) fat biopsies.

Caroline Flint: No assessments have been made of average levels of n-heptane or polybrominated biphenyls in the United Kingdom population, either in blood or fat biopsies.

Blood Samples

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the average level among the UK population of  (a) free cell DNA in ug DNA per litre of plasma,  (b) nickel DNA adducts in ng/ml and  (c) beryllium DNA adducts in ng/ml.

Caroline Flint: No estimates have been made of the average levels in the United Kingdom population of free cell deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in microgram DNA per litre of plasma, nor of nickel DNA adducts or beryllium DNA adducts in plasma.

Bournemouth Teaching Primary Care Trust

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the revenue allocation made by her Department to Bournemouth teaching primary care trust was in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07;
	(2)  what the level of growth funding received by Bournemouth teaching primary care trust was in 2006-07, expressed  (a) in financial terms and  (b) as a percentage of its total funding allocation;
	(3)  how much was allocated to Bournemouth teaching primary care trust in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07; and how much and what percentage of such funding was growth funding in 2006-07.

Caroline Flint: The data requested for Bournemouth teaching primary care trust (PCT) is shown in the tables:
	
		
			  2005-06 revenue allocations 
			   Bournemouth Teaching PCT 
			 Allocation (£000) 180,054 
			 Increase (£000) 15,132 
			 Increase (percentage) 9.2 
		
	
	
		
			  2006-07 revenue allocations 
			   Bournemouth Teaching PCT 
			 Allocation (£000) 212,879 
			 Increase (£000) 16,656 
			 Increase (percentage) 8.5 
			  Note:  Comparisons can not be made between the 2005-06 and the 2006-07 allocations for the following reasons:  changes are made to the weighted capitation formula for each allocations round, therefore, comparisons would not be on a like with like basis; and  2006-07 is the first year that primary medical services were incorporated into revenue allocations.

Bournemouth Teaching Primary Care Trust

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what proportion of Bournemouth Primary Care Trust's allocation for 2006-07 is being held  (a) in its reserve and  (b) by the strategic health authority;
	(2)  what proportion of Bournemouth Primary Care Trust's allocation for 2006-07 is currently being held in its reserve by the relevant strategic health authority.

Caroline Flint: The agreement of strategic health authority reserves form part of the 2006-07 financial planning process, which is not yet complete.

Bournemouth Teaching Primary Care Trust

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the level of funding excluding the market forces factor was made available by Bournemouth Primary Care Trust to the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as part of its legally binding contract for 2005-06;
	(2)  what funding was allocated by Bournemouth Primary Care Trust to the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as part of its contract for 2005-6; and what amount will be allocated for 2006-07.

Caroline Flint: The Department does not collect information from national health service foundation trusts. The total amount of expenditure made in 2005-06 by Bournemouth Teaching Primary Care Trust to the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will be available in the autumn from the PCT audited summarisation schedules. However, the precise nature of this expenditure and whether it covers just contract expenditure will not be identifiable.
	Figures for 2004-05, before the trust became a foundation trust, showed Bournemouth Teaching PCT reported £121,614,000 expenditure with Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust and the trust reported £121,583,000 income from the PCT.

Cancer Plan

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to develop a new Cancer Plan to replace the current plan in 2010.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 16 May 2006
	The need to publish a further update or a second cancer plan is kept under review and as yet no decision has been taken.

Care Homes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment her Department has made of changes in care home fees in the last five years;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the reasons underlying increases above inflation in care home fees in the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: According to the independent social care sector analysts Laing and Buisson, in its annual "Care of Elderly People UK Market Survey 2005", in the five years up to 31 March 2005 care home fees went up as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Residential care homes  Nursing homes 
			 2000-01 3.8 3.5 
			 2001-02 6.1 6.0 
			 2002-03 8.0 7.8 
			 2003-04 7.4 7.4 
			 2004-05 8.3 7.4 
		
	
	There are a number of possible causes for the rise in fees. This includes the level of fees paid by local authorities and the national health service, which together pay 68 per cent. of the cost of residential care.
	We increased total resources available for social services by an average of six per cent. a year in real terms over the three years 2003-04 to 2005-06. These increases follow a 20 per cent. increase in the level of funding for social services between 1996-97 and 2002-03. This enables local councils to purchase the services to meet their residents' needs. In its annual "Care of the Elderly: UK Market Survey's" Laing and Buisson has reported increases in the fees paid to care homes by social services of around 3 to 4 per cent. a year since 2000-01, with some authorities increasing fees by over 10 per cent.

Child Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many child care places are provided by the NHS for NHS employees;
	(2)  which hospital trusts provide child care places for employees.

Rosie Winterton: A survey of child care provision in 2004 by the information centre for health and social care found national health service employers provide 11,700 nursery places for children under five years. In addition, NHS employers provide their staff with a range of child care support, including access to holiday playschemes, after school clubs and access to child care co-ordinators.
	Information on hospital trusts providing child care places for employees is not collected centrally. However, of the 571 organisations who responded to the survey, 97 per cent. provided access to a child care co-ordinator.

Choose and Book System

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 24 April 2006,  Official Report, column 954W, on the Choose and Book System, when she expects the trusts listed will implement fully compliant systems.

Ivan Lewis: The Department expects that the exempt trusts will implement fully compliant systems once they have access to an economically viable compliant patient administration system (PAS). This matter is under consideration and will be determined on a case-by-case basis with the individual trusts during 2006, when planning dates will be agreed.
	Trusts are currently exempt from having a compliant PAS by December 2006 for two reasons. Firstly, for it not being technically possible for them to upgradetheir existing PAS to be compliant and their PAS replacement not being planned until after December 2006. Secondly, for it not being financially viable to upgrade their existing PAS, for example their PAS has a single installation base and the cost to upgrade this versus the benefit to operate this for a finite period is not viable, and their replacement PAS not being planned until after December 2006.
	The number of trusts exempt from operating compliant PAS by December 2006 is fluid and may go up or down slightly, as compliant PAS roll-out plans are finalised between now and the end of the year.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many patients in each primary care trust in Hampshire have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in each of the last five years.
	(2)  which primary trusts in Hampshire make available continuous positive airway pressure machines when requested by their specialist to those whose chest conditions make sleeping difficult; and which occasionally refuse a clinician's request.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally.

Combined Contraceptive Pill

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what mortality rates are attributed to the use of combined oestrogen-progesterone contraceptive pill among women  (a) in the United Kingdom,  (b) in other member European Union countries and  (c) in other World Health Organisation nations; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what mortality rates are attributed to the use of the intra-uterine device as a contraceptive among women in  (a) the United Kingdom,  (b) other member European Union countries and  (c) other World Health Organisation nations; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what mortality rates are attributed to the use of the drug Depo-Provera as a contraceptive among women in  (a) the United Kingdom,  (b) other member European Union countries and  (c) other World Health Organisation nations; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what the mortality rates directly attributed to the use as a contraceptive of the progesterone-only pill were in the latest period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Mortality rates directly attributed to the use of different methods of contraception in different countries are not available.
	The yellow card scheme collects reports of suspected adverse drug reactions associated with medicines occurring in the United Kingdom. This data cannot be used to calculate mortality rates attributed to medicines for a number of reasons. Importantly, not all adverse reactions are reported and the level of underreporting differs between medicines. Furthermore, doctors are asked to report suspected adverse reactions regardless of any doubts about a causal association with a medicine. Therefore, a report of a particular adverse reaction on the yellow card database does not necessarily mean that the drug caused it, and other factors such as an underlying or new medical condition may have played a role. Any comparison between products is invalid as the usage of these products and the other factors which affect the level of reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions vary greatly between products.
	The table contains the number of reports of suspected adverse drug reactions, and the number of fatal reports, received by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency during 2005 in association with the following: Mirena—an intrauterine device (IUD) that contains progesterone; non-hormonal IUDs; Depo-Provera; the progesterone-only pill; and the combined oral contraceptive. These figures should be viewed in the context of the extensive usage of the contraceptive devices and medicines.
	
		
			  Contraceptive  Total reports  Fatal reports 
			 Mirena 78 0 
			 Non-hormonal IUDs 2 0 
			 Depo-Provera 71 2 
			 Progesterone only pills 80 0 
			 Combined oral contraceptives 99 2 
		
	
	The majority of reports with a fatal outcome relate to venous thromboembolism. An increased risk of venous thromboembolism is well recognised in association with combined hormonal contraceptives and extensive information is provided in the product information for doctors and women.
	Healthcare professionals providing contraceptive services should provide accurate information about the possible side effects of each method to allow women to make informed choices as to the most appropriate method for them. This information is also included in the patient information leaflet. The benefits associated with modern contraceptive use far outweigh the side effects.
	Modern methods of contraception are safe for the vast majority of women who use them and are not only highly effective in preventing pregnancy, but are also associated with other health benefits. The pill for example can reduce menstrual blood loss and relieve painful menstruation. It may also reduce the incidence of ovarian and endometrial cancer.

Dentistry

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have left the NHS to work in private practice in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Data on the destination of dentists leaving the general dental services (GDS) or personal dental services (PDS) are not held centrally.
	The table, however, provides the numbers of national health service dentists who have left the GDS or PDS in England, in each year since 1997.
	
		
			  General dental services (GDS) and personal dental services (PDS): Number of dentists who have left the GDS or PDS in England for the 12 months ending 30 September each year 
			   Number 
			 1997 947 
			 1998 972 
			 1999 1,037 
			 2000 1,206 
			 2001 1,207 
			 2002 1,352 
			 2003 1,236 
			 2004 1,224 
			 2005 1,097 
			  Notes: 1. Leavers indicate that the dentist had an open GDS or PDS contract in September of the previous year but no GDS or PDS contract in September of the specified year. 2. Data include all notifications of dentists joining or leaving the GDS or PDS, received by the Business Services Authority, up to 8 November 2005. Figures for the numbers of dentists at specified dates may vary depending upon the notification period, for example data with a later notification period will include more recent notifications of dentists leaving the GDS or PDS.  3. A dentist with a GDS or PDS contract may provide as little or as much NHS treatment as he or she chooses or has agreed with the primary care trust. Information concerning the amount of time dedicated to NHS work by individual GDS or PDS dentists are not centrally available. 4. Dentists consist of principals, assistants and trainees. Prison contracts have been excluded.  Sources: Information Centre for health and social care Business Services Authority

Dentistry

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are in place to ensure that primary care trusts are given clear guidance on the transitional arrangements underpinning the transfer to the new dental contract.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has made a wide range of guidance available to primary care trusts to support the transition to local commissioning of primary dental care services and the introduction of new contracts. This has included a fact sheet on 'Understanding the transitional provisions order', which explained how dentists would transfer to the new contracts. This and other fact sheets are available on the Department website at: www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAnd Guidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/Dental. NHS primary care contracting has provided a range of other guidance and support to primary care trusts in implementing the new contracts, both through its website at: www.primarycarecontracting.nhs.uk/89.php and through learning events and a dental helpdesk.

Dentistry

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been provided to enable primary care trusts to provide maternity payments to dentists during the transition to the new dental contract.

Rosie Winterton: Primary care trusts have been given funding allocations for national health service dentistry based on previous levels of expenditure during the reference period of October 2004 to September 2005. This included all dental expenditure in that period including any maternity, paternity or sick pay given to qualifying dentists. In dentistry, as in any other areas of NHS provision, maternity payments will vary over time but allowing for such variation is a normal part of a PCT's funding role.

Dentistry

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether a dentist who was pregnant before the new dental contract was introduced on 1 April 2006 is able to claim maternity pay at the levels prescribed in the old dental contract.

Rosie Winterton: Under the former general dental services contract, the level of maternity pay for a principal dentist providing NHS general dental services was based on the principal's earnings during a 12-month test period (beginning 21 months before the expected period of confinement). Under the new GDS contract that came into effect from 1 April 2006, any dentist (be they the contract holder, a partner or a practice employee) performing dental services under a national health service contract is entitled to payments in respect of a period of maternity leave. The level of the payment is based on the dentist's pensionable earnings immediately before the period of maternity leave begins.
	Under the transitional arrangements, a principal dentist who was entitled to NHS maternity pay under the former GDS contract and who began her maternity leave before 1 April is entitled to continue receiving the same level of payment as before (based on the earlier test period), if this is higher than payments calculated on the basis of her most recent pensionable earnings.

Dentistry

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of  (a) adults and  (b) children were registered with an NHS dentist in each primary care trust in Devon in (i) 1998 and (ii) 2000.

Rosie Winterton: Below is the number of adults and children registered with a national health service dentist in each primary care trust (PCT) in Devon in the specified years. The percentage of those registered is not available as population figures were not collected at PCT level prior to 2001.
	
		
			   1998  2000 
			   Adults registered  Children registered  Adults registered  Children registered 
			 East Devon 36,422 11,489 41,547 13,558 
			 Exeter 55,930 20,290 57,101 21,017 
			 Mid Devon 25,356 11,556 32,087 13,798 
			 North Devon 45,468 21,147 58,004 23,220 
			 Plymouth Teaching 84,912 38,133 82,881 38,845 
			 South Hams and West Devon 28,132 14,668 29,269 16,283 
			 Teignbridge 34,323 12,110 36,234 12,685 
			 Torbay 52,252 17,563 53,913 19,218 
			  Notes: 1. The areas have been defined using practice postcodes within the PCT, not the patient's home address. 2. Prison contracts have not been included in this analysis. 3. Children are deemed as 17 years or under and adults as 18 years or over.  Sources: The Information Centre for health and social care. Business Services Authority.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in her Department have been  (a) disciplined and  (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate numbers in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The information is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Type of misuse  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  Total 
			 Internet 0 3 3 27 20 53 
			 Telephone 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Total number of cases 0 3 3 27 20 53 
			
			  Action taken   
			 No further action 0 0 0 7 9 16 
			 Disciplinary action 0 2 2 15 9 28 
			 Dismissal 0 1 1 5 2 9 
			  Source: Department of Health IT Security Unit 
		
	
	All office phones are blocked from accessing premium rate numbers. There is management discretion to lift this ban in individual cases based on need. There have been no recorded cases of disciplinary action relating to access to premium line numbers in the last five years.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in her Department have been enabled to work from home in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has a formal home-working scheme under which employees may request that home is the place of work for all or some of the working week. The current number of the Department's official home workers over the last three years is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Official home worker 
			 2003-04 6 
			 2004-05 7 
			 2005-06 5 
		
	
	The Department also provides a wide variety of arrangements which allow staff to work flexibly. These include initiatives such as a flexitime, part-time working, job sharing, part year appointments, compressed hours and special leave arrangements to cope with a variety of circumstances.
	The Department also allows staff to work at home on an occasional basis at management discretion. This is becoming more widespread with the greater use of information technology.

Diagnostic Scans

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diagnostic scans were carried out by Alliance Medical Ltd. in the NHS in County Durham  (a) in each of the last 12 months and  (b) in each of the previous five years.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 15 May 2006
	Alliance Medical Limited (AML) has not provided any diagnostic scans from within County Durham. An AML mobile unit does operate a service from the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. The unit has visited the hospital on eight occasions since contract commencement in July 2004. The total number of scans are shown in the table. The number referred from specific local areas is not held centrally.
	
		
			  Month/year  Number of scans 
			 September 2004 65 
			 November 2004 82 
			 December 2004 182 
			 January 2005 65 
			 July 2005 119 
			 November 2005 165 
			 January 2006 149 
			 March 2006 133 
			 Total 960 
			  Source:  Department of Health

Doctors

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors employed by the NHS are from non-EU countries.

Rosie Winterton: The number of doctors employed in the national health service who qualified in non-European Union countries is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  General and personal medical services and hospital, community health services (HCHS): All doctors by specified country of primary qualification group( 1,2,3) —England as at 30 September 2005 
			  Number (headcount) 
			   All countries of qualification  EU countries  Non-EU countries 
			 All doctors 119,017 85,984 33,033 
			 All HCHS medical staff(2,3) 83,073 55,702 27,371 
			 All general practitioners (GPs)(1) 35,944 30,282 5,662 
			  of which:
			 GPs (excluding retainers and registrars) 32,738 27,979 4,759 
			 GP registrars 2,564 1,682 882 
			 (1 )All practitioners includes contracted GPs, GMS others, PMS others, GP registrars and GP retainers. (2) Excludes medical hospital practitioners and medical clinical assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals. (3) Excludes all dental staff. Information about country of qualification is derived from the General Medical Council. For staff in dental specialties, with a General Dental Council registration, the country of qualification is therefore unknown.  Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care medical and dental workforce census. The Information Centre for health and social care general and personal medical services statistics.

Electromagnetic Fields

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of children who are exposed to potentially unsafe levels of overhead electricity cables;
	(2)  when she will publish the findings of the stakeholder advisory group on the links between electromagnetic fields and child health.

Caroline Flint: In 2004, the National Radiological Protection Board (now the Health Protection Agency radiation protection division (HPA-RPD)) recommended the adoption of international electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure guidelines. The supporting review of scientific evidence stated that there is no scientific consensus that exposures to EMFs at levels below currently accepted exposure restrictions cause cancer or any other disease. However, it is their view that
	"the totality of scientific data and uncertainty in knowledge and/or other relevant factors indicate that consideration should be given as to whether further precautionary measures are needed"
	in respect of extremely low frequency (ELF) EMF.
	A subsequent study by the HPA has investigated sources of residential magnetic field exposures (www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/hpa_rpd _reports/2005/hpa_rpd_005.htm). Another study, published in June 2005 by Dr. Draper and colleagues, has estimated the number of children living within certain distance of overhead power lines in England and Wales (bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint). Responding to the Draper study, the HPA noted that the majority of raised ELF magnetic fields in homes are due to variations in the electricity supply and distribution system, the presence of substations and equipment in the home rather than proximity to power lines. The HPA response statement is available on its website at: www.hpa.org.uk/hpa/news/articles/press_releases/2005/050603_ childhood_cancer_voltage.htm.
	In response to the HPA advice in 2004, the stakeholder advisory group on ELF EMF (SAGE) was set up to explore the implications for a precautionary approach and make practical recommendations for precautionary measures. SAGE is currently developing its advice and is expected to report later this year. Details of this process can be found on its website at www.rkpartnership.co.uk/sage.

Electromagnetic Fields

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library copies of the  (a) minutes and  (b) reports on overhead power lines produced by the stakeholder advisory group on extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields.

Caroline Flint: The stakeholder advisory group on extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (SAGE) is currently developing its first report. It is expected that the report will be published and presented to Government later this year. Details of the SAGE process can be found on the website of the independent facilitation company R K Partnership Ltd. at www.rkpartnership.org.uk/sage.

Emergency Contraception

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many girls under the age of 16 years have been prescribed the morning-after pill in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many morning after pills were prescribed to girls under 16 years by pharmacies without medical supervision in 2005-06.

Caroline Flint: The information available is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Occasions on which hormonal post-coital contraceptives dispensed at family planning clinics in England to girls aged under 16, 2000-01 to 2004-05 
			   Number (Thousand) 
			 2000-01 25.3 
			 2001-02 25.8 
			 2002-03 26.8 
			 2003-04 26.7 
			 2004-05 24.4 
			  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care return KT31 
		
	
	Data on how many girls under 16 have been prescribed emergency hormonal contraception by general practice are not held centrally.
	Emergency hormonal contraception can be legally supplied to girls under the age of 16 as a prescription-only medicine by general practitioners and also by nurses and pharmacists working under a patient group direction (PGD). A PGD is where a doctor has delegated authority and the supply will therefore always be under medical supervision.
	Data on emergency hormonal contraception supplied under a patient group direction (PGD) by pharmacists and nurses are not held centrally.

Evidence-based Information

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to develop evidence-based information for both patients and clinicians.

Andy Burnham: To support choice at referral, we produced booklets tailored to each primary care trust and enhanced the nhs.uk website to give patients and clinicians information on choice and national health service provider performance taken from Healthcare Commission indicators.
	We will be working with clinical leaders and key stakeholders to develop robust measures of clinical quality across all providers of NHS care. We will be building on tools such as the National Joint Registry and the new Heart Surgery in Great Britain websitesat: www.njrcentre.org.uk and http://heartsurgery. healthcarecommission.org.uk/Survival.aspx.
	We are also piloting patient reported outcome measures for routine elective care procedures, the results of which will be available this autumn.
	In addition, the recent White Paper announced a review of the provision of health and social care information for patients and users. The outcome of the review will enable the Department to provide an information service that better meets the needs of patients and the public.

Foster Review

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will announce her response to the Foster review of non-medical healthcare professions.

Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 17 May 2006.

Funding (Northamptonshire)

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the NHS  (a) revenue and  (b) capital expenditure per capita in Northamptonshire was in(i) 1997 and (ii) 2005;
	(2)  what the revenue budget was for health services in Northamptonshire in  (a) 1995,  (b) 2000 and  (c) 2005.

Andy Burnham: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the table shows the total revenue and capital expenditure per head by organisations within the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland strategic health authority (SHA) area.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Revenue expenditure  Capital expenditure 
			 1997-98 541.85 18.44 
			 2004-05 1,093.20 48.23 
		
	
	
		
			   £000 
			 1997-98 836,664 
			 2000-01 1,091,952 
			 2004-05 1,656,267 
			  Notes: 1. Revenue expenditure by SHA area is taken as the total expenditure of the strategic health authority, predecessor health authorities and primary care trusts within the SHA area. Capital expenditure includes NHS trusts within the area. 2. Capital expenditure is the expenditure on the purchased additions of fixed assets. 3. Levels of capital expenditure vary from year to year depending on local investment decisions. 4. Expenditure on general dental services and pharmaceutical services accounted for by the Dental Practice Board and Prescription Pricing Authority, respectively, are excluded. This expenditure cannot be included within the figures for the individual health bodies as they are not included in commissioner accounts.  Sources: Audited accounts of relevant health authorities 1997-98 and 1998-99 Audited summarisation forms of relevant health authorities 1999-2000 to 2001-02 Audited summarisation schedules of relevant primary care trusts 2000-01 to 2004-05 Audited summarisation schedules of national health services trusts 1997-98 to 2004-05 Audited summarisation forms of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA 2002-03 to 2004-05

Genito-Urinary Care

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the average waiting time was for an appointment at NHS genito-urinary medicine clinics in  (a) England,  (b) the North East and  (c) the Tees Valley in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what measures are being taken by her Department to minimise regional variations in sexual health care.

Caroline Flint: The genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic waiting times audit collects data on waiting times for all GUM clinics in England for a period of one week every quarter. All patients attending a GUM clinic with a new episode or registering for the first time are asked to complete the short questionnaire on waiting times. This audit has been chosen as the method of monitoring and improving access to GUM services. Current analysis is published on numbers seen within 48 hours. The most recent survey is for February 2006 which shows that in England 51 per cent. of attendees were seen within 48 hours. This compares with 38 per cent. in May 2004, the earliest date for which figures are available.
	A summary of the data is available on the Health Protection Agency's website at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hiv_and_sti/epidemiology/results_Feb_2006.htm
	Sexual health and access to GUM clinics is one of the six top priorities for the national health service in 2006-07. By 2008, everyone should be offered an appointment within 48 hours of contacting a GUM clinic. Strategic health authorities have all submitted plans to meet this target.

Health Improvement Workforce Steering Group

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the work of the Health Improvement Workforce Steering Group.

Rosie Winterton: "Choosing Health" points out that the changes required to deliver its objectives will only occur if the right people, with the right skills are in place to deliver them and if barriers to change and old style professional boundaries are broken down. This means developing a work force within and outside the national health service with the capacity and capability at all levels—across the wider work force, in the leadership of organisations and among public health practitioners and specialists to contribute to health improvement.
	This is why in the "Choosing Health" White Paper the Department established a health improvement work force programme board which has met regularly since July 2005. The primary function of the programme board is to monitor overall delivery of "Choosing Health" workforce commitments.
	Linked to the board is a stakeholder reference group, with representation from all key strands of the public health work force across a wide range of organisations.

Health Promotion Campaigns

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the impact of her Department's health campaign to reduce the incidence of smoking;
	(2)  what action her Department is taking to promote health campaigns related to  (a) smoking,  (b) salt,  (c) mental health and  (d) sexual health.

Caroline Flint: Since 1998, the Government have put in place a comprehensive strategy to tackle smoking and to reduce the deaths caused by smoking. The strategy focuses on action to discourage people from ever starting and help for all smokers, of whatever age and sex, to quit. We are aiming to create a climate where non-smoking is the norm.
	We have banned almost all tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion; introduced clear tobacco pack warnings; run highly effective national anti-smoking education campaigns raising awareness of the health damage of smoking and second-hand smoke. People who wish to give up smoking can get help from the national health service to stop smoking—a world leading programme we set up.
	The House agreed, by a very large majority, to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke by ending smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces. This will mean every pub, club, membership club, cafe, restaurant, shopping centre, office and public and work transport will be smoke-free by summer 2007.
	This strategy has helped reduce smoking rates in England from 28 per cent. in 1998 to 25 per cent. in 2004 some 1.2 million fewer smokers. These are the lowest smoking rates in England on record and indicate that the Government are on track to meet the target of 21 per cent. or lower smoking prevalence in 2010.
	The Food Standards Agency is leading on a salt campaign to inform consumers of the potential consequences of too much salt in the diet and what steps they can take to reduce their intake. Phase one activity took place in 2004, phase two in 2005 and consideration is now being given to a third phase.
	We have promoted mental health through standard one of the national service framework for mental health; through the White Paper "Choosing Health", which promotes the physical health of those with severe mental illness through guidance to the service on models of delivery; and through up-to-date evidence-based guidance on good practice and to support those engaged in mental health promotion across the country was published in October 2005 in "Making It Possible: improving mental health and well-being in England". The White Paper "Our Health, our care, our say" represents our further commitment to making these simple messages more widely known by ensuring that mental well-being is included in the social marketing strategy currently being developed to support "Choosing Health".
	We provide support for implementation of mental health promotion at local level through the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE), part of the Care Services Improvement Partnership. Over the last 12 months, NIMHE has published quarterly "Mental Health Promotion Update" newsletters to inform and motivate mental health promotion staff across the country. The Department and NIMHE are also supporting the forthcoming national men's health week organised by the men's health forum, which this year focuses on men's mental health and well-being.
	Our current plans are to aim to launch a sexual health campaign later this year. This will target 16 to 34-year-old men and women but with a concentration on the key 16 to 24 year age bracket. The campaign will focus on the risks of unprotected sex and the benefits of using condoms to avoid sexually transmitted infections including HIV and unintended pregnancies.

Health Protection Agency

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures exist for the Health Protection Agency to evaluate and make recommendations on measures to deal with infection control in hospitals; and how the recommendations are reported.

Caroline Flint: The Health Protection Agency is not responsible for infection control in hospitals. It carries out surveillance on behalf of the Department, provides general advice, and in collaboration with other stakeholders, carries out research and publishes recommendations on infection control. In addition, the HPA on request, advises on the control of outbreaks and incidents.

Healthy Eating

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with  (a) the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and  (b) Ofcom on controlling advertising aimed at children for foods high in fat, sugar and salt.

Caroline Flint: As outlined in the Choosing Health White Paper, the Department is committed to working with the broadcasting and advertising sectors on ways to help drive down levels of childhood obesity. The involvement of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, as the sponsor Department for the broadcasting and advertising industries and Ofcom, is crucial to progressing this work and departmental officials are in regular contact with them to discuss the food promotion agenda.
	My hon. Friend, the then Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism (James Purnell), and I have also met with Ofcom to discuss further restrictions around food and drink advertising and promotion to children.

Healthy Start Programme

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many low income families have been provided with vouchers under the Healthy Start programme in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; what the cost has been of the programme; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Phase one of Healthy Start commenced in Devon and Cornwall on 28 November 2005. The welfare food scheme continues in the rest of England, Wales and Scotland. At present approximately 9,600 families in Devon and Cornwall are receiving Healthy Start vouchers. The cost of Healthy Start vouchers and administering the scheme in Devon and Cornwall to date is approximately £1,525,000.
	Further costs incurred to date are:
	£33,000 for one-off training provided to selected health professionals in Devon and Cornwall;
	£275,910 to develop and produce information materials to support delivery of Healthy Start; and
	£117,300 for an independent rapid evaluation of the impact of phase one, including an evaluation of the effectiveness of the training for health professionals.
	The evaluation of phase one of Healthy Start is still underway and will inform phase two, roll out of Healthy Start vouchers across Great Britain, in autumn 2006.

Insulin

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2006,  Official Report, column 919W, on insulin, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of deaths attributable to insulin overdoses.

Rosie Winterton: Safer use of medicines is a key element in the Government's drive to increase the quality and safety of care in the national health service. "Building a safer NHS for patients—improving medication safety" was published in January 2004. The report stems from our commitment, first set out in "An Organisation with a Memory", to reduce the frequency of serious medication errors by 40 per cent, and sets out some of the causes of errors, including those around insulin administration, and examples of good practice to reduce risks.
	Improving medication safety is also one of the National Patient Safety Agency's (NPSA) priorities. With the developing work programme of the NPSA, and as part of our overall drive to improve quality and safety of care, these recommendations will help make drug treatment safer for NHS patients.

Leisure Centres (Food/Drink Sales)

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued to local authorities on the criteria they should apply to food and drink sold at leisure centres and other sports facilities.

Caroline Flint: No formal guidance has been issued to local authorities on this topic. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Department provide advice to caterers on healthier catering practice. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provides some guidance on procurement through its public sector food procurement initiative and this includes the Department's and FSA's advice on healthier food provision.

Lung Cancer

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with stakeholders on increasing expenditure on lung cancer research;
	(2)  what the terms of reference are for the National Cancer Research Institute's (NCRI) review of lung cancer research; and when she expects the NCRI to publish its report.

Caroline Flint: holding answers 18 May 2006
	The Department is working closely with its research funding partners(1) through the National Cancer Research Institute's (NCRI) strategic planning group to enhance national research efforts on lung cancer.
	The aim of the lung cancer strategic planning group is to take strategic oversight of research in the field, and to identify opportunities for appropriate action by NCRI member organisations, either collaboratively or individually, in order to have maximum impact for the benefit of patients and their carers.
	The group has defined its terms of reference in relation to its role, which is to answer the following questions:
	How can we maximise impact for the benefit of patients and the public?
	What is the past and present state of United Kingdom research in this area?
	What are likely to be future demands and opportunities in the area?
	Are there any obstacles to research?
	If there are obstacles, what is their nature?
	How can we overcome the obstacles?
	What can we learn from other countries?
	The NCRI expects to publish the group's report before the end of the year.
	(1) Including the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, and Macmillan Cancer Support

Lupus

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in  (a) England and  (b) Shropshire were diagnosed with lupus in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005.

Ivan Lewis: Data on the number of people diagnosed with lupus is not collected.

Maternity Services

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the procedures recently adopted for the reconfiguration proposals of existing community hospitals also apply to  (a) midwife-led and  (b) other maternity units.

Andy Burnham: As stated in paragraph 25 of the White Paper, 'Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services', the Department aims to provide more care in more local and convenient settings.
	However, decision making on specific local healthcare provision, including midwife-led and other maternity units, is a matter for primary care trusts and strategic health authorities in consultation with the local population.

ME

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the teaching of how to  (a) diagnose and  (b) treat myalgic encephalomyelitis in medical schools; and what steps she is taking to ensure that such teaching is improved.

Rosie Winterton: Medical schools determine their own undergraduate medical curriculum in the light of recommendations from the General Medical Council's education committee, which has the statutory responsibility to determine the extent of knowledge and skill required for the granting of primary medical qualifications in the United Kingdom.
	The Department does not provide direction on the content of medical school courses. Medical schools are autonomous bodies and Ministers are precluded by legislation from intervening in their internal affairs, including curriculum content.

Medical Practitioners

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) undertaken into suicide and stress among medical practitioners.

Rosie Winterton: The Department last commissioned a research project on suicide in high risk occupational groups by Keith Hawton and colleagues at the centre for suicide research, University of Oxford, in 2000. A major component of the study has been research on suicide in doctors. The research has provided valuable findings to inform policies on education, training and management of doctors. Details of this work are available at www.psychiatry.ox.ac.uk/csr/resdoctors.html.
	The Department also funds regular surveys carried out by Michael Goldacre and colleagues at the UK Medical Careers Research Group, University of Oxford, which contain some questions related to stress and job satisfaction. Details of this work are available at www.uhce.ox.ac.uk/ukmcrg/MCRG_home.htm.

Mental Health

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress made with proposals in the NHS plan to strengthen primary care mental health services.

Rosie Winterton: The NHS Plan introduced two new types of mental health workers to the national health service. At the end of March 2005, 648 graduate mental health workers, who have been trained in brief therapy techniques of proven effectiveness, were employed to help general practitioners manage and treat common mental health problems in all age groups, including children. A further 1,520 people were employed as community gateway staff to work with general practitioners and primary care teams, with NHS Direct, and in accident and emergency departments to respond to people who need immediate help. We expect to have more up to date information of the numbers of the new workers in post from the Durham adult mental health mapping database at www.amhmapping.org.uk later in the spring.

Mental Health

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the procedure is for getting emergency medical help when a person with a serious mental health problem has a relapse; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The care of adults of working age who are in touch with specialist mental health services is coordinated under the care programme approach (CPA). Under CPA, service users should be provided with a copy of their care plan that specifies the actions to be taken if the user becomes very ill or their mental health is rapidly deteriorating. In most areas, crisis resolution and home treatment teams provide rapid assessments of individuals with acute mental health problems and refer them to the most appropriate service. For individuals with acute, severe mental health problems for whom home treatment would be appropriate, such teams provide immediate multi-disciplinary, community based treatment 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In areas where there is no crisis resolution and home treatment provision, help is available through general practitioners, social services emergency duty teams and accident and emergency departments.

Mental Health

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of children and young people with a mental health disorder in each year since 2000, broken down by  (a) age,  (b) sex and  (c) ethnic group.

Ivan Lewis: Information is not available in the form requested. The Office for National Statistics 2004 survey, "Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain", looked at the prevalence of mental health disorders. It found that in the five to 10 year old age group 10.2 per cent. of boys and 5.1 per cent. of girls has a clinically diagnosed mental disorder. In the 11 to 16 year old age group, the prevalence among boys was 12.6 per cent. and 10.3 per cent. among girls.
	The survey also found the prevalence of mental disorders among the five to 16 year old age group in ethnic minorities was as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 Black 9.5 
			 Indian 3 
			 Pakistani 8 
			 Other 6.5

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public funding has been given to Samaritans in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Samaritans have received a total of £701,000 from the Department in the last five years, comprised of the following annual payments:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2001-02 51,000 
			 2002-03 155,000 
			 2003-04 195,000 
			 2004-05 170,000 
			 2005-06 130,000

Mersey Care NHS Trust

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much Mersey Care NHS Trust has spent in relation to  (a) the suspension of clinical administrative staff and  (b) the provision of additional staff to cover the individuals currently suspended in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many staff employed by Mersey Care NHS Trust are  (a) subject to disciplinary action and (b) suspended from duty; and what proportion of such staff have been suspended for (i) up to six months and (ii) over six months over the last 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.

Mesothelioma

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts in Hampshire fund treatment for mesothelioma with Permetrexen; and which do not.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally. It is for primary care trusts to ensure the services they commission meet the needs of the communities that they serve.

Mesothelioma

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were diagnosed with (a) asbestos-related illnesses and  (b) mesothelioma in each primary care trust in Hampshire in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally.

National Health Service

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the countries whose Ministers or officials have expressed an interest to her in modelling their healthcare system on the national health service in the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally. Officials and Ministers from a number of countries have visited the national health service to exchange information and learn more about best practice in many areas of healthcare and public health in the last 12 months.

National Patient Record Spine

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to ensure that patient records available on the National Patient Record Spine will not be used by organisations or individuals bidding for NHS contracts to inform their bid unfairly.

Caroline Flint: Only properly authenticated staff directly involved in the patient's care are able to view elements of a patient's care record held in the NHS care records service (NHS CRS). Under a protocol known as role-based access control, access to a patient's care record will be limited to only as much information as is needed for the purpose of the care or other job role being performed. Access is also limited to those with a legitimate relationship with the patient. These arrangements are explained in the NHS care record guarantee, which sets out the rules that govern information held in the NHS CRS.
	Anonymised information drawn from patient records has historically been, and will continue to be used, to support NHS planning, commissioning, audit and clinical governance, performance management, research and public health, subject to strict controls to ensure the confidentiality of patient-specific data. Some anonymised information will be routinely published in the form of reports by the information centre for health and social care.

NHS Direct

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the nurses employed by NHS Direct are disabled; and what estimate she has made of the number of disabled nurses employed by NHS Direct who will lose their jobs in the planned reorganisation.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not centrally held. It may be available from the Chairman of NHS Direct Special Health Authority.

NHS Direct

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the NHS Direct call centres to be closed; and what the location is of the centres to which calls will be transferred in each case.

Rosie Winterton: The consultation document proposes that 12 sites will close over the next 18 months:
	
		
			   Closure date 
			 Doncaster 2006-07 
			 Scunthorpe 2006-07 
			 York 2007-08 
			 Chester 2006-07 
			 Bolton(1) 2006-07 
			 Preston(1) 2006-07 
			 Chorley 2006-07 
			 Southport 2006-07 
			 Cambridge 2007-08 
			 Croydon(2) 2007-08 
			 Kensington(3) 2007-08 
			 Brighton 2007-08 
			 (1 )Potential for staff to transfer to the new Bolton site. (2 )Potential for staff to transfer to Beckenham. (3) Potential for staff to transfer to Southall. 
		
	
	NHS Direct uses a National Intelligent Network, a virtual call centre and call streaming technology which enables calls to be answered by the next available call handler, irrespective of new location.

NHS Direct

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated saving is from the proposed reductions in staff at NHS Direct.

Rosie Winterton: The proposals set out in the NHS Direct consultation document form an important element of NHS Direct's overall drive to improve performance and efficiency. The precise savings will become clearer following the outcome of the consultation process.

NHS Direct

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the present measures of user satisfaction with NHS Direct will be continued after the proposed reorganisation.

Andy Burnham: The present measures of user satisfaction with NHS Direct will continue to be used during and after the consultation process through their monthly caller survey. NHS Direct is continuously looking at better ways of measuring user satisfaction through feedback on the quality of the service.

NHS Direct

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether services provided by NHS Direct will be transferred to  (a) the private sector and  (b) abroad.

Andy Burnham: There are no plans to transfer the services provided by NHS Direct to either the private sector or abroad.

NHS Direct

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) nurses and  (b) staff are employed by NHS Direct; and how many will be employed in each category after the proposed re-organisation.

Rosie Winterton: The most recently centrally collected information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  National health service hospital and community health services: Non-medical staff employed by NHS Direct by main staff group as at 30 September 2005 
			   Headcount 
			 All non-medical staff 3,926 
			  Of which:  
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 1,909 
			  Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census 
		
	
	NHS Direct began a 12 week consultation with staff and staff side representatives on 16 May 2006. The consultation period is due to end on 16 August 2006. The outcomes of the consultation will be made public thereafter.

NHS Direct

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many telephone calls were dealt with by NHS Direct in each year since it came into operation.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Availability and use of NHS Direct 
			  Thousand 
			   Calls received  Visits to NHS Direct Online 
			 1998-99 110 0 
			 1999-2000 1,650 0 
			 2000-01 3,420 1,5001 
			 2001-02 5,213 2,028 
			 2002-03 6,319 3,972 
			 2003-04 6,405 6,542 
			 2004-05 6,586 9,285 
			 2005-06 6,810 13,537 
			  Source: Health Intelligence Unit, NHS Direct

NHS Direct

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the measured level of user satisfaction with NHS Direct was in each year since it came into operation.

Andy Burnham: The data is not available as an annual figure, but is collected monthly by NHS Direct. The information from the monthly survey in March each year is shown in the table.
	
		
			  March  Patients very satisfied and satisfied (Percentage) 
			 2002 99.2 
			 2003 98.1 
			 2004 98.2 
			 2005 98.0 
			 2006 96.6 
			  Source: Patient satisfaction reports—NHS Direct. 
		
	
	The rates for patients who are satisfied or very satisfied remain consistently high (above 95 per cent.), although the level of calls received has risen from 5,213,000 in 2001-02 to 6,810,000 in 2005-06.

NHS Direct

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations were carried out with the staff of NHS Direct before the recent announcement of job cuts.

Rosie Winterton: NHS Direct has commenced a 12-week consultation with staff on proposals to improve performance and efficiency. Information on any prior consultation with staff is not held by the Department but may be available from the Chairman of NHS Direct.

NHS Direct

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out the timetable for the review of NHS Direct.

Rosie Winterton: As part of the Department's review of arm's length bodies, NHS Direct is to change its status from a special health authority to a national health service trust from April 2007 with the objective of becoming a NHS foundation trust from April 2008 or as soon as possible thereafter. NHS Direct is also changing the way it operates so that it can respond to the needs of people for advice and support in the most appropriate and cost efficient way. On 16 May it began a three-month consultation with staff on proposed changes to its management structures, skill mix and its call centre.

NHS Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect of NHS primary care trust budget deficits on the funding of local area agreements with local councils.

Andy Burnham: Local area agreements (LAAs) are based on a number of area-specific funding streams. NHS funding is not one of these, but can be aligned locally at the decision of the primary care trust (PCT) and the strategic health authority (SHA). PCTs and SHAs have played a key role in developing the LAAs, and this is reflected in the enthusiasm and commitment with which local partners have approached health and social care outcomes within the LAA. LAAs have proved valuable in improving the efficiency and targeting of resources, developing new ways of working and agreeing a joint approach with a range of local partners to addressing local issues.
	With the record levels of funding available to NHS bodies, they should all have sufficient resources to invest in national and local priorities. Where appropriate, this includes arrangements for joint working with local authorities.

NHS Logistics

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she is placing a requirement on bidders to take over NHS Logistics to maintain all the current distribution centre; and whether such a commitment has been made.

Andy Burnham: The preferred bidder has indicated that they will take over all the current distribution centres. Their proposals indicate that they will maintain these distribution centres for the foreseeable future. There are no plans to close any of the current distribution centres over the life of the contract.

NHS Logistics

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if the Minister of State will fulfil the promise made by her predecessor to visit an NHS logistics distribution centre to discuss its operation and future plans with management and staff before reaching any decisions on the future of NHS logistics;
	(2)  if she will meet hon. Members representing constituents who work in NHS Logistics sites before any final decision is reached on its future.

Andy Burnham: I am happy to visit one of the distribution centres before any contract is awarded and have initiated the process to set this up.
	Although my predecessors have met with hon. Members representing constituents who work in NHS Logistics sites on a number of occasions, I am prepared to meet them as well.

NHS Logistics

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has received reports of changes to the business case for outsourcing NHS Logistics and the NHS consumables supply chain during discussions with DHL/Novation; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: There have been no such reports. In March 2006, Ministers approved the full business case for the outsourcing of NHS Logistics and related parts of NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency. Subject to final negotiation a contract could be awarded to DHL/Novation.
	These final negotiations are still in hand. Once they have been completed, I will be made aware of any changes to the business case that are material.

NHS Logistics

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the likely job losses  (a) in NHS Logistics and  (b) in total if the NHS consumables supply chain is outsourced.

Andy Burnham: Details of known implications for staff will be included in the letter of intent from the bidders as part of the formal consultation process. This letter of intent is known as the measures letter.
	We cannot be more specific at this point due to continuing commercial negotiations.

NHS Staff (Attacks)

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were  (a) refused treatment and  (b) prosecuted for verbal and physical attacks on NHS staff in (i) England and (ii) the Royal Shrewsbury hospital in 2004-05.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not collected centrally on the number of people who have been refused treatment because they have verbally or physically attacked national health service staff or on the number of prosecutions for those people who have verbally attacked NHS staff. In 2004-05, 759 people were prosecuted for assaults on NHS staff.

NHS Staff Turnover

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the annual cost of staff turnover in the NHS in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally

NHS Staff Turnover

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of NHS staff in each health care profession left the service and had to be replaced in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally for all health care professions. However, the number of joiners and leavers in the general practitioner workforce are tracked as part of the national health service workforce census.
	In 2004 (the last year for which complete figures are available), 1,649 practitioners (excluding GP registrars and GP retainers) left the NHS in England. This equated to 5.2 per cent. of the practitioner workforce. In the same year, 2,930 practitioners (excluding GP registrars and GP retainers) joined the workforce. This equated to 9.3 per cent. of the workforce. The information collected shows only the numbers and proportion of leavers and joiners, it does not specify which of the leavers had to be replaced.
	This information is not currently available for any other staff groups working in the NHS.

NHS Work Force

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the job title of each category of non-clinical job within the NHS in each strategic health authority area.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

NHS Work Force

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes to job titles have occurred within each strategic health authority area in the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

NHS Work Force

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes to job coding in the NHS workforce census were made between  (a) 2003-04 and 2004-05 and  (b) 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Ivan Lewis: National health service workforce census uses the occupation code manual as the basis for coding the jobs of staff. The census is run recording the position of the NHS workforce at the end of September. NHS organisations require 6 months notice of any changes made to the occupation code manual before they become mandatory in the census. Changes to the occupation code manual are announced through the publication of a data set change notice (DSCN).
	The following DSCNs have relevance to the NHS workforce census and were issued between 1 May 2003 and 30 of April 2006. They are as follows:
	DSCN 23/2003—which was issued in June 2003
	(i) Introduction of new codes for:
	qualified school nurses and other nurses working in school nursing
	healthcare scientists working in: life sciences / pathology; physiological sciences; clinical engineering and physical sciences; and other healthcare science professions.
	(ii) Deletion of scientific, therapeutic and technical codes rendered obsolete by the introduction of the new Healthcare Science codes above—in medical physics, pathology and physiological measurement.
	DSCN 26/2004—which was issued in November 2004
	(i) Introduction of new codes for: assistant practitioners, occupational therapy technicians and instructor/teachers in speech and language therapy.
	(ii) Closure of scientist in clinical psychology and guidance for re coding assistant psychologists.
	(iii) Improved guidance for: Emergency care practitioners, administrative managers, locums, pre-registration house offices, NHS Direct nursing, cadet nursing and nursing auxiliary, mental health workers.
	DSCN 07/2005—which was issued in May 2005
	(i) Introduction of a new specialty code for sports and exercise medicine for medical staff.
	(ii) Introduction of codes for modern matrons and community matrons
	(iii) Improved guidance for non-executives, general definitions for nurses and suggested re-coding for carer support workers.
	DSCN 06/2006—which was issued in March 2006
	(i) Recoding of ambulance matrix to allow greater level of detail.
	(ii) Introduction of codes to track community matrons distinct from modern matrons.

Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings she has had with officials concerning primary care trusts in the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire strategic health authority area.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 8 May 2006
	There have been no specific meetings between departmental officials and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State to discuss Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridge. However, a range of meetings with officials to discuss primary care trust reconfiguration have taken place, which as a matter of course will have included discussions on Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridge.

Northamptonshire Heartlands PCT

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to Northamptonshire Heartlands Primary Care Trust for the 2006-07 financial year; how much was allocated in each of the previous five years; how much is expected to be allocated in each of the next five years; and what percentage each figure represents of the Government's national standard amount in each year.

Rosie Winterton: Revenue allocations were first made to primary care trusts (PCTS) in 2003-04. Prior to this, funding was allocated to health authorities (HAs).
	The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Northamptonshire HA  Northamptonshire Heartlands PCT  England 
			   Allocation (£ million)  Allocation per head (£)  Allocation per head relative to England average (Percentage)  Allocation (£ million)  Allocation per head (£)  Allocation per head relative to England average (Percentage)  Allocation (£ million)  Allocation per head (£) 
			 2001-02 386 674 83 — — — 37,157 817 
			 2002-03 429 739 82 — — — 40,988 903 
			 2003-04 — — — 222 810 90 45,027 903 
			 2004-05 — — — 244 882 90 49,328 986 
			 2005-06 — — — 267 1,045 89 53,925 1,172 
			 2006-07 — — — 336 1,196 94 64,309 1,274 
			 2007-08 — — — 377 1,330 96 70,354 1,388 
			  Notes  It is not possible to compare allocations rounds for the following reasons: organisational changes and changes made to the weighted capitation formula for each allocations round, mean that comparisons between allocations rounds would not be on a like with like basis; services for which PCTs are responsible for funding change over time. For example, 2006-07 is the first year that primary medical services were incorporated into revenue allocations. Allocations are informed by a weighted capitation formula. No decision yet has been made on revenue allocations post 2007-08.  Source: Department of Health

Nursing

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on agency nurses by  (a) the Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust and  (b) St. Helier Hospital in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: The data requested are collected at trust level. Details on agency nursing spend figures for the Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals National Health Service Trust is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Agency nurse spends 
			  £ 
			   Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust  Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 
			 1997-98 — 1,190,422 
			 1998-99 — 1,200,386 
			 1999-2000 3,365,663 — 
			 2000-01 6,329,538 — 
			 2001-02 9,304,846 — 
			 2002-03 2,522,590 — 
			 2003-04 677,015 — 
			 2004-05 450,000 —

Obesity

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the levels of obesity in  (a) children and  (b) adults were in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: The main source of data on the prevalence of obesity is the Health Survey for England (HSE). Table one and two present the most recent available data on the prevalence of obesity in children and adults, between 1997 and 2004.
	Table one refers to the obesity prevalence among children aged two to 15 and table two reports the obesity prevalence among adults aged 16 and over.
	
		
			  Table 1: Prevalence of obesity among children( 1) , by gender, England 1997 to 2004( 2) 
			   Percentage 
			   Survey Years 
			  Body mass index status  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001 
			 Boys 12.7 13.0 16.4 14.5 15.5 
			 Girls 12.4 13.8 13.7 14.2 14.5 
			   
			  Bases  
			 Boys 3,063 1,981 977 877 1,653 
			 Girls 3,069 1,872 950 841 1,699 
		
	
	
		
			   
			   Survey Year 
			  Body mass index status  2002  2003  (unweighted)  2004  unweighted)  2003  (weighted)  2004  (weighted) 
			 Boys 16.9 17.0 18.9 17.0 19.2 
			 Girls 17.1 16.1 17.8 16.1 18.5 
			   
			  Bases  
			 Boys 3,745 1,410 645 1,452 8,833 
			 Girls 3,636 1,444 579 1,393 8,228 
			  Notes: 1. Children aged 2 to 15 2. From 2003 data is weighted for non response. Data weighted for child selection only are provided for consistency with previous years  Source: Health Survey for England 2004. Updating of trend tables to include 2004 data. The Information Centre for health and social care. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Prevalence of obesity among adults( 1) , by gender, England 1997 to 2004( 2) 
			  Percentage 
			   Survey year 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001 
			 Men 17.0 17.3 18.7 21.0 21.0 
			 Women 19.7 21.2 21.1 21.4 23.5 
			   
			  Bases  
			 Men 3,685 6,600 3,204 3,260 6,267 
			 Women 4,254 7,730 3,699 3,703 7,414 
		
	
	
		
			   2002  2003  (unweighted)  2004  (unweighted)  2003  (weighted)  2004  (weighted) 
			 Men 22.1 22.9 23.6 22.2 23 
			 Women 22.8 23.4 23.8 23.0 23 
			   
			  Bases  
			 Men 2,969 5,966 2,444 5,966 39,244 
			 Women 3,509 7,090 3,135 7,090 39,803 
			 Notes: 1. Adults aged 16 and over 2. From 2003 data is weighted. Unweighted data for 2003 and 2004 are provided to show the effect of weighting Source: Health Survey for England 2003. The Department of Health Health Survey for England 2004. The Information Centre for health and social care

Older People's Care

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the degree of independence older people have living  (a) in a care home and  (b) in their own home.

Ivan Lewis: The information needed to make this assessment is not held centrally. The Government's policy is to support people to live in their own homes, as long as it is safe to do so and accords with their wishes and assessed needs.
	The White Paper, 'Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services', was published on Monday 30 January 2006. The White Paper sets out a new direction for improving the health and well-being of the population and focuses on a strategic shift to locate more services in local communities that are closer to people's homes. It is the product of two consultations; the adult social care Green Paper, 'Independence, Well-being and Choice', published in March 2005 and the listening exercise, 'Your health, your care, your say', which took place between September and November 2005.
	The Green Paper, which is available in the Library, sets out our vision for the future of social care. It was followed by a wide-ranging consultation, involving people who use services, carers, stakeholders and the general public. The total number of people directly involved in the consultation is estimated to have been 100,000. The results, published in October 2005, are available in the Library and show that over three quarters of people wish to live in their own homes, with help, such as adaptations to properties, assistive technology and domiciliary care services being provided if necessary.

Packaged Food

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress she has made in reducing the  (a) salt,  (b) fat and  (c) sugar content of packaged foods.

Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Department, working with the food industry, have made significant progress towards reducing the salt content of foods. Voluntary targets for salt reduction were published in March 2006 which will achieve real reductions in consumers intakes, while also being challenging for the industry. Scope for further reductions will be considered in 2008 to ensure continued progress towards the Government's target of a maximum population average intake of six grams of salt a day.
	The FSA and the Department are currently in discussion with stakeholders to develop a strategy for reducing levels of saturated fat in packaged foods, and to help consumers maintain energy balance.

Patient/Public Involvement

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of patients forums have resigned since 1 December 2003; and what percentage turnover in membership this represents.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 17 May 2006
	The commission for patient and public involvement in health has only collected figures since November 2004. From November 2004 to date, 2,710 patient forum members have resigned and have subsequently been replaced. At May 2006, there are currently 4,353 forum members. This represents a 62 per cent. turnover.

Perfluorooctane Sulphonate

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance  (a) her Department and  (b) the Health Protection Agency has issued on the use of perfluorooctane sulphonate to tackle fires.

Caroline Flint: Neither the Department nor the Health Protection Agency has issued advice on the use of perfluorooctane sulphonate in tackling fires.
	PFOS was used as an ingredient in two particular fire fighting foam concentrate ranges up until 2003 when production by the main manufacturer ceased following the evidence to suggest that it is harmful to both the environment and humans. I understand from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that the stocks of foams based on PFOS are diminishing but it is likely that some fire and rescue services do still hold some stocks. NCI Director's Consumer Liaison Group, jointly with the Environment Agency, will shortly be issuing guidance to the fire and rescue services requesting them to no longer use PFOS based foams and instead to consider the use of alternatives once they are satisfied the performance of these alternatives meets their needs.

Physiotherapy

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of places on physiotherapy courses in universities to meet the number of vacancies within the profession; and what recent discussions she has had on filling such vacancies with  (a) careers advisers and  (b) educational establishments.

Rosie Winterton: The Department collects information on the number of university places commissioned by the national health service for physiotherapy students. This is used by the NHS work force review team as part of their analysis of and recommendations on future work force requirements. The commissioning for these programmes is the responsibility of local NHS organisations, who consider a range of local factors including vacancies, resources and the NHS work force review team's recommendations.
	Discussions with careers advisers and educational establishments are held at local level between NHS organisations, their physiotherapy service managers and higher education institution representatives.

Pre-registration Nursing Courses

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are enrolled on pre-registration nursing courses; how many were enrolled in each of the previous four years; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Information on the number of people enrolled on pre-registration nurse training courses is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2002-03 58,900 
			 2003-04 64,995 
			 2004-05 70,210 
			 2005-06 72,930 
			 2006-07 Forecast 73,670

Primary Care Trusts

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was allocated to each primary care trust in England in each year since 2001.

Andy Burnham: Revenue allocations were first made to primary care trusts (PCTs) in 2003-04. Prior to this, funding was allocated to health authorities (HAs). The funding allocated to each HA for 2001-02 and 2002-03 and to each PCT for 2003-04 to 2007-08 in England has been placed in the Library.

Primary Care Trusts

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria were used to determine the size of the reorganised primary care trusts announced on 16 May.

Andy Burnham: Proposals for primary care trust (PCT) reconfiguration were assessed against eight criteria.
	secure high quality, safe services;
	improve health and reduce inequalities;
	improve the engagement of GPs and roll-out of Practice Based Commissioning with demonstrable practice support;
	improve public involvement;
	improve commissioning and effective use of resources;
	manage financial balance and risk;
	improve co-ordination with social services through greater congruence of PCT and local government boundaries; and
	deliver at least 15 per cent. reduction in management and administrative costs.
	These criteria were set out by the Department in July 2005 in 'Commissioning a patient led NHS'. Strategic health authorities consulted widely with stakeholders on reconfiguration. Options for PCTs and Ministers considered carefully the views expressed in making final decisions that balanced views expressed and the criteria.

School Nurses

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts have at least one full-time, year round qualified school nurse for each cluster or group of primary schools and related secondary school; if she will list the primary care trusts which do not have such provision; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The September 2005 census showed that there were 2,887 (1,913 full-time equivalent (fte)) qualified nurses working in the school nursing service, an increase of 478 (19.8 per cent.) since 2004.
	Of these 943 (665 fte) have a post registration school nursing qualification, an increase of 87 (10 per cent.) since 2004.
	Data on the number of full-time qualified school nurses by primary care trust have been placed in the Library.

Sexual Health

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate the Department has made of the number of people in each region in England with undiagnosed  (a) HIV/AIDS,  (b) Chlamydia,  (c) gonorrhoea,  (d) hepatitis B and  (e) syphilis.

Caroline Flint: Data on the estimated number of undiagnosed HIV infections for all adults in the United Kingdom is shown in the following table.
	Results from screening asymptomatic sexually active young people, aged less than 25 years, through the national Chlamydia screening programme indicate that up to one in 10 of the target population are infected with Chlamydia. This indicates a high level of undetected genital Chlamydia infection in young sexually active people.
	There are no estimates of the number of cases of undiagnosed gonorrhoea in England. It is thought that while the majority of infections among men are symptomatic, a significant proportion are asymptomatic and therefore more likely to remain undiagnosed. The proportion of asymptomatic infections is higher among women.
	There are no estimates on undiagnosed cases of hepatitis B in England.
	
		
			  Estimates( 1)  of prevalent HIV infections among adults aged 15 to 59, United Kingdom 2004 
			  Exposure category  Number diagnosed( 2,3)  Number undiagnosed  Total 
			 Sex between men 17,400 9,100 26,500 
			  (16,900, 17,900) (6,600, 13,300) (23,900, 30,700) 
			 
			 Injecting drug use 1,300 600 2,000 
			  (1,300, 1,400) (500, 800) (1,800, 2,100) 
			 
			 Heterosexuals 19,900 9,800 29,700 
			  (19,300, 20,600) (7,600, 13,000) (27,600, 32,900) 
			 
			 Men 7,400 4,700 12,000 
			  (7,100, 7,600) (3,600, 6,700) (10,900, 14,100) 
			 African born 4,600 1,600 6,200 
			  (4,400, 4,700) (1,000, 2,700) (5,600, 7,300) 
			 Non-African born 2,800 3,000 5,900 
			  (2,700, 2,900) (2,300, 4,200) (5,100, 7,000) 
			 
			 Women 12,500 5,100 17,700 
			  (12,100, 13,000) (3,900, 6,700) (16,500, 19,200) 
			 African born 9,300 2,400 11,700 
			  (8,900, 9,600) (1,700, 3,400) (10,900, 12,700) 
			 Non-African born 3,300 2,700 6,000 
			  (3,100, 3,400) (2,100, 3,500) (5,400, 6,800) 
			 
			 Grand total 38,600 19,700 58,300 
			  (37,500, 39,800) (16,100, 24,800) (54,700, 63,400) 
			 (1) Numbers diagnosed and undiagnosed (rounded to the nearest 100) were estimated using multi- parameter evidence synthesis, in an extension of the method described in Goubar A et al Bayesian multi-parameter synthesis of HIV surveillance data in England and Wales, 2001, 2005 submitted. (2 )Numbers diagnosed exclude individuals aged 15 to 59 with unknown area of residence (570 in 2004). (3) Numbers diagnosed exclude individuals aged 15 to 59 infected through blood or blood products or tissue (410 in 2004) or through mother-to-child transmission (120 in 2004).  Source: SOPHID; CD4 monitoring; reports of deaths in HIV-infected individuals; Natsal 2000; unlinked anonymous prevalence monitoring; national study of HIV in pregnancy and childhood (NSHPC)

Suicidality

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the research undertaken by Government agencies on the effects of certain drugs on suicidality.

Andy Burnham: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published research into the effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on suicidal thoughts and behaviour. The report of the committee on safety of medicines expert working group on the safety of SSRIs was published on 6 December 2004 and is available on the MHRA's website at www.mhra.gov.uk. A copy is available in the Library. The MHRA is committed to publishing the research which underpins its decisions on safety of medicines.

Tuberculosis

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans the Government have to change screening arrangements for tuberculosis at United Kingdom  (a) ports and  (b) airports; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many X-ray machines for tuberculosis screening are located at each United Kingdom  (a) port and  (b) airport; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  how many immigrants were  (a) screened for and  (b) found to have tuberculosis in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  how many follow-up health checks were conducted on immigrants to the United Kingdom in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what action she plans to take in response to the Health Protection Agency's report on screening arrangements for tuberculosis at United Kingdom points of entry; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Immigration Act 1971 gives immigration officers the power to refer people who are subject to immigration control and who are seeking entry to the United Kingdom to a medical inspector for a medical examination. The immigration officer may take the findings of the medical examination into account when deciding whether to admit the person to the UK.
	The long-standing policy of successive Governments are that people who come from a country with a high annual incidence rate of tuberculosis (over 40 cases of TB per 100,000 population) and who are seeking leave to enter the UK for more than six months and port asylum claimants should routinely be referred for medical examination. In addition, immigration officers should refer for medical examination anyone who appears ill, or who mentions health or illness as a reason for coming to the UK. Because of the large numbers of travellers passing through Heathrow and Gatwick airports, there are three x-ray machines at Heathrow and one at Gatwick for taking chest x-rays.
	The time pressures at points of entry mean that it is not possible, even where x-ray machines are available, to carry out there all the tests that would be desirable, or to make firm diagnoses of TB. That is why long-standing policy is that checks carried out at points of entry should be followed up by the national health service. This was reinforced by the "NICE TB Clinical Guidelines" published on the 22 March 2006, which make clear recommendations to the NHS to identify new entrants for TB screening from port of arrival reports (that is, information from medical inspectors), new registrations with primary care, entry to education (including universities) and links with statutory and voluntary groups working with new entrants. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence also have provided screening protocols and toolkits for the NHS for new entrant screening. The Department does not routinely collect figures from points of entry on the numbers of immigrants screened for TB. Follow up health checks on immigrants may take a variety of forms, in a variety of settings, and are not identified as such in statistics about NHS activity.
	As announced in February 2005, in the Home Office's five-year asylum and immigration strategy "Controlling our Borders" (Cm 6742), the Government plan to increase the number of routine TB checks that are done abroad. Checks overseas can be more thorough than those that can be made under pressure of time at points of entry, and those found to have infectious TB are required to complete treatment before entry clearance to the UK is granted. Phase one of this overseas programme began in autumn 2005 has been operational in six countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Sudan, Tanzania and Thailand) since spring 2006. Phase two is planned to start later in 2006.
	The Department and the Home Office commissioned a review of the operational arrangements made at points of entry in England both for medical examinations under the Immigration Act and for discharging responsibilities under the Public Health (Aircraft), (Ships) and (International Trains) Regulations with a view to strengthening those arrangements. (Responsibility for the health input into operational arrangements at points of entry in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland rests with the Scottish Ministers, National Assembly for Wales, and Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland). The review was carried out by a project team led by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and with Home Office representation. Their report is on the Agency's website at www.hpa.org.uk/porthealth/default.htm. Specific actions relevant to medical examinations under the Immigration Act 1971 that are being taken in the light of the review are that:
	the Department will continue, as already planned, with an evaluation of the effectiveness of routine TB checks, both overseas and at points of entry;
	the HPA will take the overall operational lead at points of entry in England to ensure that there are appropriate operational arrangements for medical examinations under the Immigration Act 1971, ensuring that this and appropriate supporting actions are reflected in its business plan;
	the Home Office will take forward with appropriate consultation a proposal that the accommodation needed for medical examinations under the Immigration Act should be provided free of charge; update the relevant Immigration Directorate Instructions; and survey the impact that advice from those who carry out medical examinations has on the entry decisions taken by immigration officers; and
	the Department and the Home Office will seek an opportunity to modernise the legislation on medical examinations under the Immigration Act, giving the responsibility for carrying out examinations to a body with health functions (such as the HPA) rather than to individually appointed medical inspectors.

Tuberculosis

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government is taking to ensure that information on how to receive the BCG vaccination is available following the decision to end the school-based vaccination programme.

Caroline Flint: The Chief Medical Officer announced changes to the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) programme via a letter to the medical profession and primary care trusts on 6 July 2005. In support of these changes an updated leaflet, factsheet, and poster were produced and sent directly to the groups listed above. All of these resources were aimed at raising awareness of tuberculosis (TB), and also informing health professionals and the general public alike, of the changes to BCG policy. All these resources were also made available to order free of charge via the Department publications line.
	The 6 July 2005 policy changes also meant that the tuberculin skin test was given in a different way, with the Mantoux test replacing the Heaf test. The Department produced a flip chart and DVD for training purposes. These were made available to order free of charge via the Department publications line and sent directly to all TB clinics. Following these changes, the Department held a meeting of immunisation co-ordinators who are responsible for implementation of the BCG programme within their localities. The public information materials were shared with the co-ordinators and their views obtained.
	The Department has also carried out public awareness testing on matters relating to TB and its control, and all information materials on TB and BCG are pre-tested with members of the public.

Terminal Illness

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in  (a) Witham, Braintree and Halstead Primary Care Trust area and  (b) England were diagnosed with a terminal illness in 2004-05; and how many of these were given a life expectancy of less than 12 months for each area.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Trans Fatty Acids

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the health effects of trans fatty acids.

Caroline Flint: The Government are aware of the health effects of consuming certain fats, including trans fatty acids (TFAs), particularly on coronary health.
	An assessment in 2004 by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) agreed with earlier conclusions of the United Kingdom's committee on medical aspects of food policy that TFAs may increase risk of coronary heart disease by raising blood cholesterol levels.

Uttlesford Primary Care Trust

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the financial position of the Uttlesford primary care trust.

Andy Burnham: For 2005-06 at month six, Uttlesford primary care trust is forecasting a net year-end deficit of £1.2 million.

Waiting Times

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many patients are waiting for dialysis at Dorset county hospital;
	(2)  what the longest time is for which a patient has been waiting for dialysis at Dorset county hospital.

Caroline Flint: Dialysis is an emergency treatment for patients with established renal failure, therefore patients are given immediate priority treatment as soon as possible following diagnosis.
	The Dorset and Somerset strategic health authority has advised officials that there is a robust plan in place to increase dialysis capacity in Dorset by an additional 60 dialysis stations. The plan is being overseen by a renal programme implementation team, which includes clinical, patient and carer representatives.
	Part of the proposals include the development of a new renal unit at Alderney community hospital. Other options include investigating potential alternative national health service sites and the use of a private sector unit. In addition, West Dorset general hospitals NHS trust is developing an interim capacity plan to ensure patients requiring renal dialysis receive appropriate treatment.

Waiting Times

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the change in patient waiting times in the constituency of Brentford and Isleworth since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: It is for the local national health service to assess patient waiting times in the local area and to ensure that waiting time targets are met.
	The table shows the number of patients waiting by time bands for the quarter ending March 1997 to March 2006 for Hounslow primary care trust (PCT), Ealing PCT and Hammersmith and Fulham PCT including the Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow Health Authority (HA) which existed before the creation of the PCTs.
	
		
			  In-patients still waiting by timeband, quarter ending March 1997 to March 2006, Commissioner based, Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow HA 
			Patients waiting for an admission in months 
			  Quarter ending March  In-patient waiting list  0<3  3<6  6<9  9<12  12<15  15<18  18<21 
			 2003 15,226 6,164 3,790 2,418 1,628 848 357 21 
			 2003 18,461 7,087 4,286 3,228 1,995 1,240 625 0 
			 1999 13,831 6,838 3,075 1,803 1,200 705 210 0 
			 2000 13,717 7,434 3,001 1,678 945 534 125 0 
			 2001 12,679 6,556 2,908 1,639 923 551 102 0 
			 2002 13,066 7,292 3,164 1,517 808 285 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Corresponding PCTs in the former HA 
			Patients waiting for an admission in months 
			  PCT  Quarter ending March  In-patient waiting list  0<3  3<6  6<9  9<12  12<15  15<18  18+ 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 2003 2,631 1,650 626 266 89 0 0 0 
			 Ealing PCT 2003 5,894 3,167 1,543 836 348 0 0 0 
			 Hounslow PCT 2003 4,441 2,442 1,192 678 129 0 0 0 
			 Sum of PCTs 2003 12,996 7,259 3,361 1,780 566 0 0 0 
			   
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 2004 2,348 1,699 494 155 0 0 0 0 
			 Ealing PCT 2004 5,283 3,520 1,409 346 2 6 0 0 
			 Hounslow PCT 2004 3,642 2,546 912 182 2 0 0 0 
			 Sum of PCTs 2004 11,273 7,765 2,815 683 4 6 0 0 
			   
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 2005 2,564 1,654 830 80 0 0 0 0 
			 Ealing PCT 2005 5,046 3,226 1,606 214 0 0 0 0 
			 Hounslow PCT 2005 3,147 2,042 997 106 2 0 0 0 
			 Sum of PCTs 2005 10,757 6,922 3,433 400 2 0 0 0 
			   
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 2006 2,612 1,785 827 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Ealing PCT 2006 5,913 4,217 1,696 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hounslow PCT 2006 2,806 2,043 763 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Sum of PCTs 2006 11,331 8,045 3,286 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Note:.  PCTs came into existence from April 2002. Before then the data are supplied by the corresponding HA.  Source:  Department of Health form QF01.

Waiting Times

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of waiting times for  (a) speech therapy and  (b) cataract operations; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: As speech and language therapy is not a consultant-led speciality, data on waiting times for this treatment are not centrally available.
	The official figures on waiting times show the length of time that people currently on the list for treatment have been waiting. Those data is collected at consultant led speciality level, for example ophthalmology. It is not possible to split those data down to show waiting list data for specific operations, for example cataract operations. Therefore, the information requested is not centrally available.
	However, a different source of information can be used to provide an approximate measure of the times that patients have waited for admission for specific operations such as those relating to cataracts. The most up-to-date data are for 2004-05 which are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Mean/median number of days waited for a cataract operation in NHS Hospitals in England 1996-97 to 2004-05 
			   Mean waiting time  Median waiting time 
			 1996-97 176 151 
			 1997-98 208 179 
			 1998-99 225 204 
			 1999-2000 201 176 
			 2000-01 190 164 
			 2001-02 179 153 
			 2002-03 173 147 
			 2003-04 148 127 
			 2004-05 91 78

Work Permit Regulations

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the NHS will pay the work permit charges of trainee doctors from the Commonwealth;
	(2)  whether hospitals employing large numbers of Commonwealth doctors will be allocated extra funding to pay for new work permits.

Rosie Winterton: It is the responsibility of any employer to pay for applications for work permits. No specific funding will be allocated to national health service trusts for work permits but primary care trust allocations are increasing by about 20 per cent. in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Work Permit Regulations

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to ensure that doctors from overseas who graduated from a UK medical school are allowed to complete all their training in the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has been working with the Home Office to put in place transitional arrangements. Those doctors and dentists who were offered a relevant training post before the changes were announced will be given the opportunity to complete their training.
	Doctors from outside the European Economic Area who have graduated in the United Kingdom will have up to three years to complete their foundation training. Once the foundation course has been completed doctors will need to meet the normal requirements of the immigration rules.

Work Permit Regulations

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation she held with  (a) the British Medical Association,  (b) organisations representing immigrant doctors and  (c) hospital trusts on the recent changes to immigration rules affecting doctors.

Rosie Winterton: The immigration rules for postgraduate doctors and dentists (permit-free training) were amended in July 2005. Since then officials have been discussing with the Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans, the British Medical Association's junior doctors committee and organisations representing overseas doctors the arrangements for those already in training and to agree what further guidance and clarification is needed to deal with the new arrangements.
	The Department has been working closely with NHS Employers to provide guidance to the national health service.

Work Permit Regulations

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the new immigration regulations on the provision of locums.

Rosie Winterton: No assessment has been made of the impact of the new immigration regulations on the provision of locums. The practice of employing locum doctors under the old permit-free training rules was a misuse of the system and no substitute for good work force planning.

Work Permit Regulations

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Health Department what steps she is taking  (a) to protect the position of and  (b) to encourage the employment of medical graduates from the Commonwealth in the NHS from adverse effects of the new work permit requirements.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to assist non-EU doctors affected by changes to the work permit regulations.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has been working with the Home Office to put in place transitional arrangements. Those doctors and dentists who were offered a relevant training post before the changes were announced will be given the opportunity to complete their training.
	Overseas doctors and dentists will still be able to come and train in the United Kingdom. They will now be considered as being in employment for immigration purposes and will need to meet the requirements of an employment category of the immigration rules.

Work Permit Regulations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations were consulted by her Department concerning the effects on medical staff of changes to the work permit regulations due to come into force in July.

Rosie Winterton: The immigration rules for postgraduate doctors and dentists (permit-free training) were first amended in July 2005. Since then officials have been discussing with the Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans, the British Medical Association's junior doctors committee and organisations representing overseas doctors the arrangements for those already in training and to agree what further guidance and clarification is needed to deal with further changes that came into operation on 3 April 2006.
	The Department has been working closely with NHS Employers to provide guidance to the national health service, including transitional arrangements.

Work Permit Regulations

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her discussions with the British Medical Association regarding the impact of the work permit regulations affecting non-EU doctors which comes into force in July.

Rosie Winterton: Departmental officials have been working closely with the junior doctors committee of the British Medical Association (BMA) since the changes to the immigration rules in July 2005. The Department continues to discuss with the BMA the arrangements for those already in training and to agree what further guidance and clarification is needed to deal with the new arrangements.